Rockets Star Amen Thompson Recalls Childhood 'Hate' for Warriors, Aims for Houston Dynasty

Houston Rockets star forward Amen Thompson, an Oakland native, revealed that he "hated the Warriors" growing up in the Bay Area, despite their dynastic run. Thompson, born in 2003 and residing in San Leandro until 2016, was a devoted LeBron James fan and rooted against Golden State during their four consecutive NBA Finals matchups against James' teams from 2015-2018. While he didn't support the Warriors in basketball, he did follow other local teams like the Raiders and Giants. Thompson recently experienced a playoff loss to the Warriors, as his Rockets fell in a seven-game first-round series in the 2025 NBA playoffs. Now a teammate of former Warriors superstar Kevin Durant, Thompson is focused on building a new dynasty in Houston.