Touted as one of the best perimeter players in the game, it is no question that Golden State Warriors star guard Klay Thompson has patterned his offensive game from NBA great Kobe Bryant. But in a recent interview, Thompson revealed that it is not just Kobe's offensive prowess that he nitpicked.
In an article by Mark Medina posted in The Mercury News, Thompson said:
“My biggest lesson I learned from Kobe is not to jump for any pump fakes,” Klay Thompson said. “He had a lethal pump fake. He probably got every single person in the NBA with it.”
It was a lesson he learned through his match-ups with the Laker great. Statistics show that in their 12 scrimmages, Bryant averaged 28 points while shooting just 41.1 percent.
Thompson has stated that Kobe Bryant is his childhood idol. When he was in high school, Klay had an opportunity to shoot alongside Kobe. Per SF Gate, Klay said:
“He’s got the mentality of a winner,” Thompson said of Bryant. “Just so much hard work. He put everything he had into the game, and you have to respect that.”
It has baffled several NBA players and fans alike why Klay Thompson has not been part of the All-NBA Defensive teams. It is probably because the players who actually play with or against Klay do not take part in the voting. Despite this, Klay has acquired the respect of his contemporaries.
There was a time when Klay was simply known as a Splash Brother alongside Stephen Curry. But slowly and steadily, he has developed into a capable player on both ends of the court.
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