Detroit Pistons shooting guard Luke Kennard says Golden State Warriors All-Star Klay Thompson is even better in person than on TV.

When he was at Duke, Kennard used to watch a lot of games of Thompson. When the lefty played the Warriors for the first time in the NBA, he realized Thompson is one of the smartest basketball players out there.

“When I was in college, one of the guys that I watched a lot was Klay,” Kennard told James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. “I remember having to guard him once my rookie year, and, obviously, we’ve played against them a couple of times, but Klay Thompson is one of the guys that come to mind. I watched a lot of his film in college, and I watched a lot of his games in college. He’s one of the guys that I follow throughout his career, especially for the last five to six years. He’s a good player.

“I think one of the things that makes him so good is that he’s smart. He knows where to be. He knows what’s going to happen before it happens. That’s big in this league. It’s important to be one step ahead of everyone. I still watch film, and I still like to watch other players in the league and pick stuff out. I’ll continue to do that and make myself better.”

Thompson is a nightmare to guard. He's always moving without the ball and only needs one second to get off his shot.

With the Warriors, Thompson has career averages of 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from beyond the arc. Klay has established himself as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.

Thompson is expected to miss a big chunk of next season for the Warriors rehabbing his left ACL injury. Many believe Thompson could return to the court around February or March.