NBA DRAFT

June 22, 2023

Amen Thompson

Q. What does it feel like to be drafted by your new team?

AMEN THOMPSON: Yeah, it just feels great to be a Houston Rocket. I thought I had a great interview, great workout with them. I thought I saw family over there, and I thought I saw a future in Houston. So it's great to be there.

Q. Going back to back with your brother, what does that mean for your family? Is it fitting you went first, being the older one?

AMEN THOMPSON: I think it's kind of cool going first. It means a lot to my family. Me and Ausar, we were going to be happy whoever went first. But it means a lot to my family seeing all the hard work pay off. Us go back to back, be the first twins in the same draft to go top five, it means a lot.

Q. Have you gotten a lot of endorsement opportunities as a twin? You're going to be referred to obviously as the Thompson twins. There was a very famous '80s British pop band the Thompson Twins. Have you heard of them or know any of their music?

AMEN THOMPSON: I definitely heard about them. My mom told me she used to listen to the Thompson Twins. I heard they're not even really twins. So we're the real ones.

Q. Are you and your brother getting a lot of endorsement deals?

AMEN THOMPSON: Yeah, we're getting a lot of endorsement deals like a duo. It's been fun to shoot those with him, and just the whole process has been great.

Q. What do you think or how would you describe yourself as a leader and what do you think you can bring to the Houston Rockets as a leader?

AMEN THOMPSON: I think I've become more of a vocal leader, but first I lead by example and I think I can bring that to Houston. I think Houston got a lot of players that have great potential, and I think they have a scary future.

Q. What does it mean for you to be in Houston and with the rivalry between San Antonio and the Rockets and getting to play Victor? Was that something you have already in your mind and representing Houston, that rivalry between those two cities, San Antonio and Houston?

AMEN THOMPSON: I haven't even gotten to thinking about that yet. I'm just excited to play with the Rockets, play with my new team. San Antonio, we've got to get through them.

Q. How do you see yourself fitting in with Jalen Green in the Rockets' backcourt?

AMEN THOMPSON: I see two very athletic guards who can push the tempo, push the pace, both ball handlers. I like to be on a team with as many people who can make plays for us as possible, and I think that's what we've got over there.

Q. What do you know about Houston as a basketball city, the history and your knowledge so far about the city?

AMEN THOMPSON: I don't know much, not much yet, but I feel like I'm about to learn a lot in the next couple months.

Q. Amen, which one of you were born first?

AMEN THOMPSON: I was born first. A minute. One minute.

Q. Did you and your brother talk about maybe getting drafted back to back before the draft?

AMEN THOMPSON: It was weird, we never really talked about going back to back. We just talked about both being top 10. I never really thought about it, but it's cool that that's how it ended up being the way it happened.

Q. What are you hoping to work on this summer to get prepared?

AMEN THOMPSON: Just work on my shot, my ball handling, just everything. Everything that can help me make an immediate impact.