With the Los Angeles Lakers closing in on the Houston Rockets’ lead late in the fourth quarter, the Lakers trapped Rockets guard Jalen Green in the corner. Green launched a desperate 3-pointer, a would-be airball until Rockets teammate Amen Thompson soared to the rescue and transformed it into a jaw-dropping dunk.

To trace the roots of Rockets' rising star Amen Thompson's super-speed and elite athleticism, you're best served traveling to the concrete courts outside Bancroft Middle School in San Leandro, California.