HOUSTON — As Amen Thompson walked into Toyota Center for his introductory press conference, he was led by his family. The group consisted of his parents, Maya and Troy Thompson Sr.; his identical twin brother, Ausar, who was drafted one spot after Amen by the Detroit Pistons; and older brother Troy Thompson Jr., one of his biggest inspirations to play basketball.
Laying the foundation for the siblings’ hard work and dedication, Troy, who is eight years older than his younger brothers, was a very skilled high school player. After taking off a year after graduation, he chose to stay close to home and attended City College of San Francisco in 2014. He made the team as a walk-on and received 11 offers to play Division I basketball during his time there.
Halfway through his first year, he wrote down his goals. One of them was to continue his playing days and education at an historically black college or university (HBCU).
Thompson Jr.’s first choice was Howard University. Instead, he selected Prairie View A&M University, which is located 47 miles outside of Houston, to finish his final two years of eligibility from 2016 through 2018.
“I wrote down that I wanted to get 10 Division I offers, and at least one of them be an HBCU,” Thompson Jr. said. “I have family members that went to Prairie View, and it has a little nostalgic vibe with (his parents). I didn’t know a lot about PV until I got there. It was so welcoming, and it was a great experience for me. It helped me become a man. It was a good experience.”
“I have been saying it since about 2012,” said Troy Thompson Jr. who is the older brother of Amen (Rockets) and Ausar (Pistons) when asked when he realized they could make it to the NBA. “My brothers are the best winners I have ever seen.” #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/Muvy2bPXEm
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) June 27, 2023
Sharing those experiences with his younger siblings was one of the things that kept them motivated to continue following their dreams of making it into the NBA. Thompson Jr. tried out for Sacramento’s NBA G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings, in 2019, but he was not selected for the roster after the final cuts.
“Growing up, I didn’t even know that I was the influence I was,” Thompson Jr. said of being an inspiration to his brothers.
Yet, he was instrumental in the futures of Amen and Ausar, who decided to skip college and play two years at Overtime Elite, where they could strictly focus on basketball. The decision paid off. Amen Thompson was selected by the Houston Rockets with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, and Ausar was taken with the fifth pick of the draft.
“He is the blueprint and the role model for me,” Amen said of his older brother. “Growing up in Oakland, my family tried to keep me away from certain things, and he was a big part of that because he went through that stuff. Seeing where he was able to get in basketball made me believe that I could do anything.”
“He is the blueprint and the role model for me,” said Houston Rockets rookie Amen Thompson about his older brother Troy Thompson Jr. #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/ifDyhQZwhe
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) June 27, 2023
