Klay Thompson plays for the National Basketball Association’s Golden State Warriors. The professional basketball player from the United States of America has had an exciting career in which he has achieved a number of milestones since his college basketball days. Read on to learn more about this fascinating player.
Thompson was born in Los Angeles on February 8, 1990. However, he was raised in Oregon where he was in Little League with several other future NBA picks and stars like Kevin Love. His high school was Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita. Before graduating in 2008, he was named to the All-Area second-team and the Orange County third-team during his junior season. In his senior days, he led his high school to a 30-5 record and averaged 21 points per game. His impressive play earned him Division III State Player of the Year, Best Team in the West League MVP, and an EA Sports Second Team All American.
Klay Thompson attended Washington State University where he led his team in a 3-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage. He started all 33 games as a freshman and averaged 12.5 points per game. In his sophomore season, he led the Cougars to the Great Alaska Shootout Championship. He was named Most Outstanding Player and also managed to earn the third-highest single-game scoring in WSU history after setting a single-game record of 43 points. He earned two Pac-10 Player of the Week awards this season, ending a great season averaging 19.6 points.
With his impressive college record, Klay Thompson was selected by Golden State in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft. He was the 11th choice. Warriors general manager Larry Riley praised Klay Thompson’s shooting skills and expressed confidence that his defensive skills would improve with the help of coach Mark Jackson. You could say his bets paid off because although Klay Thompson struggled with his shots for some time in the playoffs, it was his improved defensive skills that really stood out. He and Stephen Curry earned the nickname “Splash Brothers” after setting an NBA-record 484 combined three-pointers in a 2014 season.
Klay Thompson Parents – Dad, Mom
Klay Thompson seems to be one of those players that has sports and basketball especially in his blood. His father is former NBA player Mychal Thompson. Mychal Thompson and his wife Jule Thompson (who was also a volleyball player at the University of Portland and the University of San Francisco) had their son on February 8, 1990 in Los Angeles. Her family moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon when Klay Thompson was just two years old. Mychal Thompson himself had an impressive career, being the first pick in the 1978 NBA draft. He appears to have passed his flair for the game down to his son. The family moved again when Thompson was 14, likely due to his father’s career.
Mychal Thompson, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers, has since retired and now works in sports radio.
Brothers – Mychal and Trayce Thompson
Klay Thompson has an older brother who is named after his father. Coming from an athletic family, it’s no surprise that Mychal Thompson played basketball for Pepperdine University. The Jr. Mychal has also played in the NBA Development League.
The youngest brother in the family is Trayce Thompson and he took a different path in the sports world. He plays with Oakland Athletics as a Major League Baseball player.
Klay Thompson height
The basketball player stands at 2.01 meters and weighs 98 kg. Utilizing his size in the guard position, he is considered a strong defender, capable of defending against elite guards and wings alike. His endurance is also widely praised and he is considered an efficient marksman. In fact, his shooting form has been described as textbook.
Klay Thompson wife, friend
Thompson, who is known for his calm and easygoing personality, is not married. He is a regular subject of dating rumors and has been accused of cheating on his last recognized relationship partner, Hannah Stocking. The two had been together for about a year before the rumors surfaced and their relationship soon ended. He has declined to date many other women he has since dated, but has been spotted on quite a number of dates.
Other facts
- Klay Thompson was suspended from his last regular season game at Washington State University after being fined for his marijuana possession.
- Along with his father, Thompson won an NBA title as one of four father-son duos after winning the 2015 NBA championship.
- He plays chess quite well and has met with world chess champion Magnus Carlsen.