The Houston Rockets have a 22-year-old guard who’s already making his mark as one of the NBA’s rising stars. Amen Thompson earned an All-Defensive First Team spot in just his second year, posting averages of 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on 55.7% shooting. And while the Golden State Warriors just got a first-hand look at his talent during a heated playoff series, Thompson has never exactly been a fan of the Bay Area dynasty.
A Homecoming Against the Warriors
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – APRIL 30: Fred VanVleet #5 and Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets high five in front of Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 30, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
This past spring, Thompson got the chance to face his hometown team in the postseason. The Rockets pushed the Warriors to seven games in the first round, a chippy, physical series that had all the makings of a new-school rivalry.
Thompson more than held his own, averaging 15.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals across seven starts. Most impressively, he spent much of his time hounding Stephen Curry, the face of Golden State’s dynasty, and didn’t blink.
For a Bay Area kid, it was a dream matchup. But don’t mistake it for a sentimental homecoming. Thompson didn’t grow up idolizing the Warriors—if anything, he carried a chip on his shoulder.
Why Amen Thompson Hates the Warriors
On a recent appearance on The Young Man and The Three podcast, Thompson explained where his distaste for Golden State came from.
“I was a LeBron James fan, I’m not gonna lie,” Thompson said. “I didn’t dislike the Warriors — I actually liked the Warriors, until they had to start playing LeBron. And then I’m like, ‘Okay, now I hate the Warriors.’”
That confession puts him in line with a whole generation of NBA fans. During Golden State’s run of three championships in four years, the league turned into a split screen: Warriors fans on one side, LeBron loyalists on the other. For Thompson, there was no middle ground. His admiration for LeBron meant Golden State had to be the enemy.
A Rivalry With Hometown Roots
It’s a fascinating wrinkle. A player who grew up just miles from Oracle Arena chose LeBron over the Warriors. Now he’s in the middle of writing his own rivalry with them on the floor.
Golden State might not be the powerhouse it once was. But with Draymond Green and others still stirring the pot, the tension with Houston is real. Thompson’s Bay Area background makes it even juicier.
For Rockets fans, the takeaway is simple. They have a cornerstone guard who doesn’t just want to compete. He wants to beat the team that dominated his childhood. For Warriors fans, Amen Thompson has officially gone from hometown kid to hometown rival.
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