NBA
ESPN analysts predict Rockets’ Amen Thompson will win Most Improved Player
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated5 hours ago on August 26, 2025
Despite a 52-30 record in 2024-25, the Rockets were bounced in the first round of the playoffs. It was a disappointing end to Houston’s season. In the 2025 offseason, the Rockets made changes to the roster.
That included trading with the Suns for two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant. Additionally, the team added Dorian Finney-Smith as a free agent. Heading into 2025-26, the Rockets are expected to take a step forward as a team. In a recent ESPN poll with reporters, editors, and analysts, they were asked who will win Most Improved Player in 2025-26. The most common answer was Rockets’ SF Amen Thompson. He could have a breakout year in the upcoming season.
Experts predict Amen Thompson will win Most Improved Player in 2025-26
Amen Thompson is viewed as the favorite and eventual “runaway winner” for Most Improved Player this season in ESPN’s latest article
ESPN said Thompson will have a “significant role” for the Rockets this season and has “already established himself as an elite defensive player” pic.twitter.com/qsJbA7s5N8
— SleeperRockets (@SleeperRockets) August 26, 2025
With the fourth pick in the 2023 NBA draft, the Rockets selected Amen Thompson. Over two seasons, Thompson has played in 131 games for Houston and has made 65 starts. In 2024-25, Thompson appeared in 69 games for the Rockets and made 42 starts. He averaged a career-high 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. With that production, Amen Thompson was named All-Defensive first-team.
Additionally, he finished fifth in defensive player of the year voting. The young SF is an elite defensive presence who’s shown flashes of offensive consistency. Ahead of the 2025-26 season, ESPN conducted a poll to rank players for the NBA’s six major awards. For the upcoming year, ESPN reporters, editors, and analysts believe Amen Thompson will win Most Improved Player.
This one thing makes the Rockets the scariest team in the league:
“The scariest thing about this Houston Rockets team is Amen Thompson. We know what he can do defensively and he is without a doubt one of the best athletes the NBA has to offer….if he can develop a high level… pic.twitter.com/3gZZZzdKd0
— SpaceCityStepback (@SpaceCityStepbk) July 24, 2025
With players like Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks being traded this offseason, Thompson will have a larger role with the team. He still hasn’t been a full-time starter for the Rockets. Chances are, he’s a starter to kick off the 2025-26 season. Kevin Durant will likely lead the team in scoring next year. However, Amen Thompson has a pathway to scoring 20+ points per game.
Amen Thompson improved his scoring averages from year one to year two. If he can take another step forward in year three, he’ll be one of the top two-way players in the NBA. Comparable to prime Kawhi Leonard. The biggest knock on Thompson’s game is his consistency in shooting the ball. Improving his jump shot would do wonders for his overall production in Houston. We’ll wait and see if Thompson takes another leap in 2025-26.
