Analyzing Klay Thompson’s Development Into a Complete Player

The Golden State Warriors have one of the deepest, most talented rosters in the NBA. There’s a good mix between veterans and younger players, and they all have a wide range of skillsets. One of the most intriguing players on the roster this year is Klay Thompson.

Thompson is entering his third season in the NBA, and he’s really starting to develop into a complete, all-around player. When the Warriors drafted him with the 11th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, they knew they were getting a great shooter with great size and length for a shooting guard. What the Warriors didn’t know was how much he would grow as an NBA player and how versatile Thompson would become in his first couple seasons.

Thompson started off the 2013-2014 season with a bang. In the Warriors’ first preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson came off the bench and scored 26 points on 11-for-18 shooting. He certainly showed Mark Jackson that he could provide a spark off the bench. His performance against the Lakers was the perfect display of what he has worked on in the offseason and how he’s developed into more of a complete player.

First of all, in the Laker game and in general, Thompson has attacked the basket more and finished at a much higher rate than when he drove to the basket last season. On his drives to the basket in the Laker game, he showed off his quickness, especially in his feet, and some dribble moves, including a perfectly executed spin move on Jordan Farmar at the end of the the first quarter. He also showed that he can be shifty when going to the rim, kind of like Tony Parker.

He also isn’t going to settle for open threes. Before halftime in the game against the Lakers, he had a look at a wide-open three, but, he decided to drive to the basket instead. He used his quickness to get past Farmar, and he took it hard to the rim, right at Robert Sacre. He appears to move more smoothly in the paint, and he’s not afraid of contact when attacking the rim, which is perhaps why he’s finishing better.

Defenders have to honor his three-point shooting, so they aggresively pursue him or close out on him at the three-point line. Because of this, Thompson is finding more open lanes and different ways to get into the paint. He also has used pump fakes on the three-point line to get to the basket.

Second, he showed he’s worked on his post-ups. His build isn’t overly strong, but he has quick feet, which he utilizes in post-up situations. He can back his man down, work in the paint, and get to the basket, or he can quickly turn around and pull up for a quick jump shot off of a post-up. He knows how to use his quickness but also his size and length to his advantage.

Third, he’s added some new shots to his repertoire. Not only is he driving to the basket more, but he’s becoming more creative with his shots. Everyone knows he can shoot threes, but Thompson has clearly worked on his mid-range game this offseason too. He even did his best Dirk Nowitzki impersonation and hit a couple one-legged, fadeaway jump shots in the first game against the Lakers.

Lastly, Thompson has utilized his natural athleticism and explosiveness more in the preseason. People often underestimate his athleticism, but he has such great length and quickness for a shooting guard that he can surprise people. Thompson is quick in transition, and, against the Lakers, he went in for more dunks in the open court, instead of settling for a layup.

He started to show last season his development as a defender too. He’s a versatile defender who can guard point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards. He also knows how to use those quick feet and his long wingspan to disrupt whoever he’s guarding and force them into tough shots or stop them from driving into the paint. Thompson has quickly become one of the best perimeter defenders on the Warriors.

Thompson is one of the most important players on this Warriors roster. Obviously, Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut, David Lee, and Harrison Barnes are all important players as well. However, Thompson is a young, intriguing player who has developed into one of the most complete, all-around players on the Warriors. Thompson’s still developing, which is exciting for Warriors fans. If Thompson continues to work hard and stay healthy, he could on one day become a star in the NBA.