Amen Thompson and Andrew Nembhard Named NBA Defensive Players of January 2025

In January 2025, the NBA announced that Amen Thompson of the Houston Rockets and Andrew Nembhard of the Indiana Pacers have been honored as the Defensive Players of the Month for their respective conferences. Thompson, who played a pivotal role for the Rockets, led the Western Conference with an impressive average of 2.2 steals per game. Meanwhile, Nembhard's defensive prowess contributed significantly to the Pacers, who ranked first in the Eastern Conference with a Defensive Rating of 109.7.

A closer look at their defensive statistics reveals key achievements:

• Amen Thompson:
  • Led the Western Conference in steals with 2.2 per game.
  • Averaged at least 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks, a feat achieved by no other player in the NBA.
• Andrew Nembhard:
  • Ranked third in the Eastern Conference in steals, averaging 1.9 per game.
  • Was instrumental in helping the Indiana Pacers lead the East in Defensive Rating at 109.7.

These honors reflect Thompson's and Nembhard's commitment to defense and their impact on their teams during the month of January.