The Houston Rockets will go through the remainder of Las Vegas Summer League without the services of the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. According to Marc Spears of ESPN, Amen Thompson suffered a sprained ankle during the Rockets’ Summer League opener against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, and as a result, he’s getting his foot put in a boot and will miss the next 2-3 weeks.
Per Spears, the expectation is that the injury will prevent Thompson from taking the floor again during his time in the desert.
An MRI revealed Rockets rookie guard Amen Thompson has a Grade 2 ankle sprain and will be out 2-3 weeks, a source told @andscape @espn. Thompson will be in a boot for a week and is expected to miss the rest of summer league after suffering the injury against Portland yesterday.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 8, 2023
Thompson suffered the injury while both teams were trying to corral a loose ball. After hitting the deck, Blazers forward Jabari Walker went to grab the ball, fell, and landed right on Thompson’s feet, which left him in considerable pain. Here’s a video of the incident.
Amen Thompson exited the game with an apparent ankle injury. pic.twitter.com/h9MxRNorkw
— ESPN (@espn) July 8, 2023
It was a freak accident that, unfortunately, will probably keep one of the brightest young stars in Las Vegas from taking the floor again. Prior to getting hurt, Thompson impressed in what ended up being a 100-99 win for the Rockets, as he showcased the athleticism and feel for the game that made him such a promising prospect out of Overtime Elite. In just over 28 minutes of work, Thompson scored 16 points on 6-for-13 shooting with five assists, four rebounds, four blocks, and three steals.