Here are 10 things to know about Mavericks’ shooting guard Klay Thompson, a four-time NBA champion who came to Dallas from Golden State in 2024.
1. The basics
Name: Klay Alexander Thompson
Born: Feb. 8, 1990
Hometown: Los Angeles
Position: SG, SF
Height: 6-6
College: Washington State
2. Welcome to Dallas
After spending 13 seasons with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, Thompson signed with the Mavericks on a three-year, $50 million dead via a six-team sign and trade on July 6, 2024, which also included the 76ers, Hornets, Nuggets and Timberwolves. This became the NBA’s first-ever six-team transaction.
3. An all-time great
Thompson was well-known for being one-half of the Splash Bros with Curry. Thompson earned his reputation as a 3-point marksman coming up with the Warriors, connecting on 41% of his attempts from beyond the arc for his career.
He, Curry and Draymond Green were the core members of the Golden State dynasty. From 2015-2019, Thompson and the Warriors went to five straight NBA Finals, and won three of them. They added a fourth, a ring for Thompson’s pinky, in 2022, a season in which they knocked the Mavericks out of the Western Conference Finals on their way to the title.
Thompson, with four rings and a place in the top-5 3-point leaders of all time, is a surefire Hall of Famer once he hangs up the sneakers.
4. Record-holder
While with the Warriors, Thompson claimed a number of NBA records. He holds the mark for most points in a quarter, scoring 37 in the third quarter against Sacramento in January 2015.
He also hit the most 3-pointers in a single game, burying 14 triples against Chicago in October 2018.
Take a look at Thompson’s highlights from his huge outing against the Kings:
5. Klay Thee Thompson?
Thompson made waves in July when he seemed to confirm swirling rumors that he and three-time Grammy-winning musical artist Megan Thee Stallion were something of an item. Thompson posted multiple photos from The Bahamas on Instagram with the caption “Sweet Bells son.”
One photo shows Thompson, his face partially obscured, kissing a woman who had her back turned to the camera, but Thompson’s 16.8 million followers and Stallion’s 32.6 million followers immediately sleuthed the new power couple connection.
There have been other Mavericks connected with starlets before — Toni Braxton in the 1990s and the Khloe and Lamar fiasco in 2012 — but Megan Thee Stallion sitting courtside at AAC would perhaps take the cake.
6. Followed in dad’s footsteps
Thompson had a good role model to follow while growing up in California. His father, Mychal, played in the NBA for 12 years and was selected first overall in the 1978 NBA draft.
Mychal Thompson played for three teams throughout his NBA tenure, closing out his career with the Lakers. He won two championships in Los Angeles in 1987 and 1988.
The Lakers were among the teams showing reported interest in Klay when he left the Warriors.
7. Was a multi-sport star in high school
Thompson blossomed as a hooper during his time at Santa Margarita Catholic in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. He also tried his hand at other sports, including football.
Thompson joined Peyton and Eli Manning on an episode of the ManningCast during the 2023 NFL season, where he revealed an old nickname he went by when he played quarterback.
The nickname? Klayton Manning.
.@KlayThompson’s high school QB nickname? #KlaytonManning. pic.twitter.com/vhewjHapzK
— Omaha Productions (@OmahaProd) July 1, 2024
8. Loves his boat
While he was sidelined with separate knee and Achilles injuries during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Thompson developed an affinity for being on the water. According to a 2021 article from The New York Times’ Scott Cacciola, Thompson found a hobby in boating.
He avoided traffic on his Bay Area commute by taking his boat, an Axopar 37 Cabin, to work.
“You can’t have a bad day when you’re on the boat,” Thompson said.
9. Will have his jersey retired
Thompson’s impact for Golden State is undeniable. That’s probably why the team quickly offered a glimpse into the future of his No. 11 jersey the day he was acquired by the Mavs.
In a statement from the Warriors, the team noted that Thompson’s jersey will one day hang from the rafters in San Francisco.
“Klay’s legacy will live on forever and we look forward to the day we can retire his #11 jersey at Chase Center, where he will join a host of Warriors immortals, including those who helped shape this recent dynasty — himself included,” the statement read.
10. Once honored a late friend who played for the Cowboys
Before the Mavericks and Warriors faced off in March 2023, Thompson paid a special tribute to Gavin Escobar. The former Cowboys tight end died in a rock climbing accident in September 2022.
According to the Warriors’ Twitter page, Thompson and Escobar shared a connection as they both hailed from Rancho Santa Margarita.
Klay arrived at tonight's game in Dallas repping the number 89 in honor of his friend Gavin Escobar.
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 22, 2023
Gavin played four seasons as Tight End for the Cowboys during his NFL career. A native of Klay's hometown of Rancho Santa Margarita, he tragically passed away last fall. pic.twitter.com/zWtvcOlsyE
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