Amen Thompson became one of the highest-drafted basketball players in South Florida history on Thursday.
The Houston Rockets picked the former Pine Crest star with the fourth pick in the NBA draft.
He ties Toronto Raptors star and former University School guard Scottie Barnes as the highest-drafted player in Broward County history, but Thompson is the highest selection as a graduate from a Broward high school.
His brother, Ausar, will likely soon join him in the NBA ranks soon after, as he is also an expected lottery pick.
Before tonight, Amen and Ausar started their careers at Pine Crest. They made the varsity team as eighth-graders and quickly became two of the top players in Broward County.
“They were different,” former Pine Crest coach Ike Smith said. “Being at Pine Crest, I didn’t have a lot of eighth-graders that played varsity. Brandon Knight and Traveon Henry, kids like that. They went on to do real good. But those two, they were just special, man. … They were leaders as eighth graders. They could get to the basket. They handled the ball well.”
As juniors, they led the Panthers to a state championship and were named Sun Sentinel Broward County small schools co-players of the year. Ausar averaged 22.6 points per game to Amen’s 20.5. Amen was the superior rebounder, notching 8.4 rebounds per game to Ausar’s 7.2. Amen also averaged one more assist per game (4.4) than Ausar (3.4).
After their junior seasons, the twins opted to leave high school and join the new Overtime Elite league, turning pro. The league gave them a chance to draw six-figure salaries, but they lost their high-school and college eligibility.
“I was happy for them,” Smith said. “People don’t believe me. … I’m about the kids’ future, not holding them to my chest to make me look good.”