On ESPN’s latest under-25 NBA rankings, Rockets stars Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson came in at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively.
The Houston Rockets (16-6) appear unlikely to pursue a trade for 31-year-old Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the strong performances of their top young prospects are among the biggest reasons why.
Thus, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that ESPN’s latest under-25 rankings — which rank the league’s best players under the age of 25 based on perceived long-term potential — feature both Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson (statistics) near the top of the list.
As two of Houston’s three best starters (along with Kevin Durant), Sengun and Thompson were ranked by ESPN’s media panel at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively. Explanations and extended player evaluations are available at ESPN.
The only four players ahead of Houston’s duo, in descending order from No. 1, are Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs; Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves; Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons; and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Both Sengun and Thompson are ranked just ahead of Cleveland Cavaliers star Evan Mobley, who won NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors last season.
The Rockets are the only team with multiple players among the list’s top eight. That could potentially give Houston a prolonged window of contention in the Western Conference, and it’s why general manager Rafael Stone is likely to be quite hesitant in breaking up that duo — even for a perennial All-Star and two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) like Antetokounmpo.