“He Needs to Throw People Around More Often”: Vernon Maxwell Praises Amen Thompson Following Win Over Lakers

Rockets legend Vernon Maxwell might have a new favorite player on his former team. The two-time NBA champion was full of praise for Amen Thompson following his double-double performance against the Lakers.

“Helluva game. Rockets beat the Lakers. 23 points 16 rebounds for my guy Amen! He needs to throw people around more often if this is how he is gonna play,” Maxwell tweeted after Houston’s 119-115 win over Los Angeles.

He joked about how Thompson’s on-court fight with Tyler Herro a few days ago seems to have a lit a fire under the youngster. His 23-point outburst set a new season-high in scoring for the sophomore guard.

However, the more impressive aspect of the 21-year-old’s stat line was the career-high 16 rebounds he grabbed on the night. As a 6’8” guard, corralling six offensive rebounds is a testament to Amen’s motor, athleticism and instincts on defense. In fact, he’s such a proven player that Ime Udoka played him out of position last night.

Traditionally a guard, Thompson slotted in for the injured Jabari Smith Jr. and held down the frontcourt alongside Alperen Sengun. Without his tenacity on the glass, the Rockets weren’t equipped to outrebound the Lakers and Anthony Davis.

With Smith Jr. set to miss at least a month with a broken hand, Thompson could see more minutes over the coming games. Vernon Maxwell will certainly be pleased by that. He recognizes the impact Amen had on the outcome and continued his trend of promoting the young guard. A trend that started during the heated contest between Miami and Houston last week.

Vernon Maxwell lauded Amen Thompson for his aggression

Thompson’s performance against the Lakers came after he had served a two-game suspension for his fight with Tyler Herro. Towards the end of their game, Herro, who was leading the way for Miami, sparked the fight by putting his body weight on Thompson, leading to some severe retaliation from the latter.

The sophomore guard grabbed Herro by the collar and threw him onto the hardwood, creating a heated situation on the floor that would result in six ejections and $110,000 in fines. Vernon Maxwell, known for his own temper on the hardwood, defended Thompson’s actions online and even offered to pay the guard’s fines — though he later redacted that statement, explaining, “I don’t want to send the wrong message.”

Maxwell has had his own journey with his temper. The 59-year-old was one of the earliest sharpshooting guards in the NBA and his touch from range earned him the moniker of ‘Mad Max’, though it would quickly become a fitting nickname for different reasons.

During the championship era of the ’90s Rockets, several reports emerged about Vernon fighting with teammates. An alleged beef with Hakeem Olajuwon was reportedly the reason for Maxwell’s departure from Houston, but things got worse thereafter.

In the 1999-2000 season, he almost came to blows with Gary Payton and ended up injuring Horace Grant when he tried to intervene. Maxwell reportedly struck Grant’s shoulder with a five-pound dumbbell, causing him to miss the next two weeks.