Thompson part of second team

The Rockets’ rebuild received another sign of progress Monday with Amen Thompson becoming the fifth Rockets player to receive NBA allrookie recognition in the past four seasons.

Thompson was a second-team selection, appearing on 90 of 99 ballots. He received 10 firstplace votes. Jae’Sean Tate was a first-team All-Rookie selection in 2021. Jalen Green was a firstteam selection in 2022. Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason were second-team picks last season.

The fourth player taken in 2023 draft, Thompson got off to a slow start, missing 13 games with a sprained right ankle, and then struggled to come back from an illness. But in 62 games played, he averaged 9.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.26 steals in 22.4 minutes per game.

In 23 games as a starter, including his final 17 games played after Alperen Şengün went out with an ankle injury, Thompson averaged 13.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.48 steals while making 58.4% of his shots. The Rockets went 12-5 in those games.

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren were unanimous first-team All-Rookie selections. Miami’s Jamie Jaquez Jr., Charlotte’s Brandon Miller and Golden State’s Brandin Podziemski were the other first-team selections.

In addition to Thompson, Dallas’ Dereck Lively II, Utah’s Keyonte George, Oklahoma City’s Cason Wallace and Memphis’ GG Jackson II were second-team picks.

Wembanyama was a unanimous pick last week as the Rookie of the Year. Last year’s No. 1 overall draft pick, the 7-3 center appeared in 71 games, leading the league’s rookie class with averages of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks.

He was the second rookie to lead the NBA in blocks, joining Manute Bol in 1985-86, and the first to surpass a combined 300 blocks plus steals since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992-93.