“LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kyrie Irving, and all do things at such a high level”: Klay Thompson revealed the players who gave him the toughest time to guard

Back in 2018, Klay Thompson revealed the offensively gifted players of the league who gave him a tough time on the defensive end.

Klay Thompson is one of the greatest catch-and-shoot players in the history of the game. Ever since the 6-foot-6 shooting guard set foot on the NBA hardwood, he has instantly made a positive impact for the Golden State Warriors. Playing alongside his Splash Brother, Stephen Curry, the duo have managed to revolutionize the league. And are majorly responsible for the insane number of three-pointers team toss up in the modern NBA.

Having perfected the art of knocking down long-distance shots, Klay has had a solid individual career and played a huge role in helping the GSW franchise turn into a winning dynasty.

Over the span of a nearly decade-long career, Thompson racked up quite an impressive resume – 5 All-Star appearances, 2 All-NBA Team selections, and has won 4 championships. The veteran has also managed to achieve all these accolades while averaging a stellar career average of 19.5/3.5/2.3 on an incredible 45.8/41.7/84.9 shooting split.

Also Read: Draymond Green praises the $1 billion worth Lakers star’s leadership at the Celtics’ expense

Because of his high efficiency of hitting shots, a huge aspect of his game generally goes unnoticed – his more than capable defense.

“LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Harden, Westbrook, Lillard, Kyrie”: Klay Thompson on the toughest players he’s guarded

Thompson is one of the league’s best two-way guards. More than often, Klay is seen defending the best swingman of the opponent team. And over the years, Klay has even been selected to one All-Defensive Team for his efforts on the other side of the court.

Since being drafted in 2011, Klay has guarded numerous players. However, in 2018, he was asked to name some of the toughest players he’s had been assigned to play defense on. In an interview, the sharpshooter revealed:

“I’m happy I don’t have to check Kyrie [Irving] anymore that’s for sure, that guy is tough,” he said before naming several of the other top scorers in the league. “LeBron [James], Kobe [Bryant], James Harden, Russ Westbrook, Dame Lillard, Kyrie. We’re so blessed the league is full of so many great talents who all do things differently and at such a high level that you can’t relax any given time.”

Klay on toughest players for him to guard, Harden, LeBron, Westbrook etc, “I’m happy I don’t have to check Kyrie anymore that’s for sure.” pic.twitter.com/j6zBDyfuQ8

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) June 5, 2018

Even in the 2022 NBA Finals against the Celtics, Klay’s defense in the crucial Game 4 was a huge reason why the Warriors ended up winning their 4th title in 8 years.

Also Read: Marcus Smart gets real about the Celtics falling to Stephen Curry’s GSW in the Finals, reveals he’s unable to sleep

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over four years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,700+ articles.

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