The Houston Rockets got training camp underway this week as they prepare for the upcoming 2026-27 season. The Rockets made several big moves this summer, including recently re-signing wing Amen Thompson to a lucrative contract extension.

Recently, ESPN ranked Thompson as the 31st-best player in the NBA in their annual preseason rankings, and some fans were puzzled by the publication's assessment of his game.

“At 6-7 with a sturdy frame and explosive leaping ability, Thompson profiled as a prototypical 3-and-D wing,” wrote Andre Snellings.

Fans on X, social media, quickly weighed in on the bizarre assessment.

“That whole paragraph looks like it was written with AI lol,” speculated one fan.

“3-and-D gotta be the most useless term in existence at this point,” wrote another.

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It's unclear where Snellings got the idea that Thompson was ever thought of as a “3-and-D” player, considering that he is widely considered one of the worst perimeter shooters in the league today, with opposing teams routinely leaving him open from beyond the arc.

While he is certainly one of the top perimeter defenders in the league and has also increased his playmaking chops and finishing ability at the rim throughout the first few years of his career, his jumper seems to be a long way away from being something that opposing teams need to worry about.

Still, his value on the defensive end of the floor, along with the potential for growth due to his relative youth, combined to make the Rockets' commitment to him a sensible investment, despite the hefty price tag.

The Rockets will hit the floor for the first time this season on October 21 at home vs the Dallas Mavericks.