From Michael Jordan to Kevin Durant, the Portland Trail Blazers franchise has passed on more than its fair share of stars in the draft. Amen Thompson just reminded Portland why he should be the latest name to add to that list.
Portland passed on Thompson in the 2023 NBA Draft, ultimately selecting Scoot Henderson with the No. 3 overall pick. While it's early in their respective careers, Thompson's rapid star ascension already makes this an obvious draft regret.
The Blazers missed out on Amen Thompson
The Blazers are now 6-6 on the season after a brutal 140-116 road loss to the Houston Rockets on their horrible red court. The blowout nature of the loss was significant; the Blazers are now 1-1 in NBA Cup games, with point differential being the secondary tiebreaker after head-to-head record to determine who comes out of group play.
Thompson playing a key role in Houston's convincing win just rubbed salt in the wound, finishing with a +24 on 19 points, four assists, two rebounds, one steal, and one block. He's also the type of player who impacts winning more than the stats indicate, given his two-way skillset as a 6-foot-7 guard with top-tier athleticism.
Can you imagine Thompson and Shaedon Sharpe sharing a backcourt together? Floor spacing would be an obvious concern, but who even cares at that point!
Outside of the shooting concerns, Thompson would've fit in perfectly in Portland, especially with their defensive identity. The Blazers constantly harass opposing teams the length of the court, and adding Thompson into the mix would instantly make them a top-five defense in the league.
That's even more exciting to imagine than the Thompson-Sharpe highlight dunks. A point guard gets picked up full court by Thompson, only to switch onto All-Defensive wing Tomani Camara. Then, if by chance they get past that, they run into a wall in the form of 7-foot-2 center Donovan Clingan.
Unfortunately, Blazers fans will never get the luxury of seeing this in action. Henderson's rollercoaster start to his NBA career makes this even more unfortunate. While the Blazers didn't draft a bust at No. 3, Henderson has yet to meet the lofty expectations that surrounded him as a prospect.
Entering the draft, a clear-cut second tier of Brandon Miller and Henderson emerged behind Victor Wembanyama. That's why it initially seemed like Portland was in an ideal position, as they would land a true building block regardless of who the Charlotte Hornets went with at No. 2. In retrospect, the Blazers should've been more open-minded and kept their options open beyond these two prospects.
With his elite athleticism and two-way impact, Thompson is already becoming everything the Blazers hoped Henderson would be.