Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson keeps building on his resume in his first season with his new team. He accomplished something even LeBron James hasn't achieved in his career. In December, Thompson passed Reggie Miller on the all-time three-point list.
Since then, the accolades kept growing, as he hit 16,000 points in the 112-101 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Despite the new accolade, it put things into perspective for the first-year Mavericks guard. He explained to ClutchPoints' Joey Mistretta that the number is impressive, but there's an even more remarkable feat.
“It's cool, but it makes you realize how ridiculous it is that LeBron [James] has 40,000,” Thompson said. “Ridiculous. That's insane.”
While 16,000 might not be a lot for his career, he hasn't been asked to score a handful of points every night. He was never asked to be the primary scoring option even with the Golden State Warriors. However, his elite shooting helped fuel one of the greatest dynasties the NBA has ever seen.
As an elite two-way player, his defense stood out tremendously. With that, many forgot about his offense. For instance, Thompson set a new NBA record with 14 threes in 2018. Usually, players attempt that many in a game, let alone make that many. His role has reduced but he's capable of being that microwave scorer.
Mavericks' Klay Thompson shows how difficult scoring is




Again, 16,000 points is a great statistic for one's career, but when Thompson mentioned James's 40,000, that's an anomaly. He's been in the league for 21 seasons and has never averaged below 20 points per game in his career. Although he's a physically gifted athlete even at 40- years-old, he's expanded his game.
The three-pointers have increased, as well as his perimeter game. James continues to attack the basket but it's been more efficient. He's always relied on his skill but he's not simply bulldozing like how he did during the 2010s. Furthermore, the connection between Thompson and James runs deep.
The two competed at the highest level in the NBA Finals for four consecutive seasons. From 2015-2018, it was a constant battle between James and Thompson. Mind you, this was the height of Thompson's offensive game. He proved to be one of the premier shooting guards in the league.
Fast forward to 2024 and times have changed. Still, a 16,000-point milestone is quite the accomplishment. He may never get to 40,000 but he's close to halfway there. It goes to show that scoring in the NBA isn't as easy as outsiders make it seem.