The twin brothers who rewrote the NBA draft record books
In short: Before they were NBA stars, Amen and Ausar Thompson were homeschooled children in California, training since age seven. By bypassing high school and college to enter a professional league early, they paved a path that led to a historic milestone in professional basketball.
Amen Thompson's trajectory to the NBA was defined by a deliberate, accelerated path. Born in San Leandro, California, Amen and his identical twin brother, Ausar, began their basketball development under their father's guidance at just seven years old. To maximize their growth, the family homeschooled the twins during the sixth and seventh grades. This preparation allowed them to enter high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, one year early, where Amen emerged as a standout athlete at Pine Crest School.
Rather than pursuing the traditional collegiate route—despite receiving scholarship offers from major programs like Alabama and Kansas—the twins signed with Overtime Elite (OTE) in 2021. This professional league for players aged 16 to 20 was chosen specifically to prepare them for the NBA. Amen's success there was immediate; he earned All-OTE First Team honors in 2023 and helped his team secure a league championship after a dominant performance where he recorded a game-winning layup at the buzzer.
The brothers' impact culminated in the 2023 NBA draft, where they made history as the first siblings ever selected in the top five in the same year. Amen was taken fourth overall by the Houston Rockets. His rapid ascent continued through his rookie season, where he earned All-Rookie Second Team honors and eventually became an All-Defensive first-team selection in 2025. By September 2026, his value was solidified with a five-year, $208 million contract extension.
While his career has been marked by high-level production—including a 33-point game-winning shot against the Celtics in early 2025—it has also seen the physical intensity of the league. In late 2024, Amen faced a two-game suspension following a heated on-court confrontation with the Miami Heat that resulted in multiple ejections, illustrating the volatile nature of elite competition.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Amen Thompson
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