Klay Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Klay Thompson

Thompson with the Warriors in 2016
No. 31 – Dallas Mavericks
Shooting guard / small forward
Personal information
Born	(1990-02-08) February 8, 1990 (age 35) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
High school	Santa Margarita Catholic (Rancho Santa Margarita, California)
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College	Washington State (2008–2011)
NBA Draft	2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11th overall
Selected by the Golden State Warriors
Pro career	2011–present
League	NBA
Career history
2011–2024	Golden State Warriors
2024–present	Dallas Mavericks
Career highlights and awards
4× NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) 5× NBA All-Star (2015–2019) 2× All-NBA Third Team (2015, 2016) NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2019) NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2016) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2012) 2× First-team All-Pac-10 (2010, 2011) No. 1 retired by Washington State Cougars
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team World Cup Gold 2014 Spain Team U-19 World Championship Gold 2009 New Zealand Team

Klay Alexander Thompson (born February 8, 1990) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the Mavericks, Klay played 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors.

With the Warriors, Klay was part of the famous "Splash Brothers" duo with Stephen Curry. They were known for their amazing three-point shooting. Many people think Klay is one of the best three-point shooters ever. He has won four NBA championships (in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022). He was also chosen as an NBA All-Star five times. Klay has won gold medals with the U.S. national team at the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.

Klay comes from a family of athletes. His dad, Mychal Thompson, was also an NBA player. His brother, Mychel Thompson, played basketball, and his other brother, Trayce Thompson, plays Major League Baseball. Klay played college basketball for three years at Washington State University. He was a top player in his conference.

The Golden State Warriors picked Klay 11th overall in the 2011 NBA draft. In 2014, he and Stephen Curry set an NBA record for combined three-pointers in a season. They broke their own record twice more! This led to their nickname, "the Splash Brothers." In 2015, Klay helped the Warriors win their first NBA championship in 40 years. They won two more titles in 2017 and 2018. Klay faced tough injuries, missing over two years of play. But he came back in the 2021–22 season and helped the Warriors win his fourth championship. In 2024, Klay joined the Dallas Mavericks.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Klay Thompson was born in Los Angeles. His mom, Julie, played volleyball in college. His dad, Mychal Thompson, was the very first pick in the 1978 NBA draft. When Klay was two, his family moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon. There, he was childhood friends and Little League teammates with future NBA star Kevin Love.

When Klay was 14, his family moved to Ladera Ranch, California. He went to Santa Margarita Catholic High School. In his junior year, he was named to the All-Area second team. As a senior, Klay averaged 21 points per game. He led his high school team to a 30–5 record and a state championship game. In that game, he set a state finals record by making seven three-pointers. He was named Division III State player of the year.

College Basketball Career

Thompson playing for Washington State in 2011

Klay Thompson played for Washington State University. As a freshman, he started all 33 games. He led his team in three-point shooting and free throw percentage, averaging 12.5 points per game. He was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team.

In his second year, Klay led the Cougars to win the Great Alaska Shootout Championship. He scored a tournament record of 43 points in one game. This was one of the highest scores in Washington State history. He became one of the fastest players to reach 1,000 points for the Cougars.

As a junior, Klay led the Pac-10 conference in scoring. He set a new school record for points in a single season with 733 points. He is the third all-time leading scorer for Washington State. On January 18, 2020, Washington State honored Klay by retiring his No. 1 jersey. He was only the second men's basketball player at WSU to receive this honor.

Professional Basketball Career

Golden State Warriors (2011–2024)

Starting Years and "Splash Brothers" (2011–2014)

Klay Thompson decided to enter the 2011 NBA draft after his junior year. The Golden State Warriors picked him 11th overall. The Warriors' general manager, Larry Riley, praised Klay's shooting skills. He believed Klay would improve his defense with new coach Mark Jackson.

Klay was not chosen for the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend Rising Stars Challenge. But after that, his game improved a lot. The Warriors traded their starting guard, Monta Ellis, in March 2012. After this, Klay scored a season-high 26 points. He then scored 27 points a week later. By the end of the season, Klay was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Thompson in 2012

In January 2013, Klay scored 32 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Coach Mark Jackson said Klay and Stephen Curry were the best shooting duo in NBA history. That season, they made 483 three-pointers together, which was an NBA record at the time. The Warriors won their first playoff series against the Denver Nuggets. Klay scored a playoff career-high 34 points against the San Antonio Spurs, making 8 of 9 three-pointers. The Warriors lost to the Spurs in six games.

In the first game of the next season, Klay scored 38 points. He and Curry broke their own record by making 484 combined three-pointers. Klay averaged 18.4 points that year. The Warriors lost in the first round of the 2014 playoffs to the Los Angeles Clippers.

First All-Star Selection and NBA Championship (2014–2015)

Thompson driving against Washington's Marcin Gortat in 2015

In October 2014, Klay signed a new four-year contract with the Warriors. The next day, he scored a career-high 41 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. On January 23, 2015, Klay scored an amazing 52 points against the Sacramento Kings. He made 11 three-pointers in that game. In the third quarter, he scored an NBA-record 37 points in just one quarter! He made all 13 of his shots, including nine three-pointers, which was also a record for a single quarter. A few days later, Klay was chosen as an NBA All-Star for the first time.

In March 2015, Klay passed his coach, Steve Kerr, on the NBA's all-time three-point list. That season, Stephen Curry broke his own record for three-pointers. Klay finished second in the league. Together, they made 525 three-pointers, breaking their previous record. In the 2015 NBA Finals, Klay scored a playoff career-high 34 points in Game 2. The Warriors went on to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. This ended the team's 40-year championship wait.

Record-Breaking Season and Finals (2015–2016)

Thompson defending Jared Dudley from the Washington Wizards in 2016

Klay started the 2015–16 season a bit slowly with his three-point shooting. But he soon improved a lot. The Warriors started the season with an NBA-record 24 wins in a row. Klay scored a season-high 43 points against the Phoenix Suns in December. He had several games with 30 or more points. In January, he scored a season-high 45 points against the Dallas Mavericks. He was named an All-Star reserve for the second time. In February, he won the NBA Three-Point Contest, beating Stephen Curry.

The Warriors finished the season with a record 73 wins. In the playoffs, Klay became the first player in NBA history to make at least seven three-pointers in two playoff games in a row. In Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Klay made 11 three-pointers and scored 41 points. This helped the Warriors come back from being down 3–1 in the series. They won Game 7 and advanced to the 2016 NBA Finals. However, the Warriors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games, even though they were up 3–1 in the series.

Second NBA Championship (2016–2017)

Klay's three-point shooting improved greatly in November 2016. On December 5, 2016, Klay scored a career-high 60 points in just 29 minutes against the Indiana Pacers. He made 21 of 33 shots and 8 of 14 three-pointers. He became the first player in NBA history to score 60 points in less than 30 minutes. His 40 points in the first half tied for the second-most in a half over the past decade. Klay was named an All-Star reserve again.

The Warriors finished the season with a 67–15 record. Klay played strong defense in the playoffs. The Warriors reached their third straight NBA Finals. They became the first team to start the playoffs 12–0. Klay helped the Warriors win their second championship in three years. They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 4–1 in the 2017 NBA Finals. The Warriors finished the playoffs with a 16–1 record, the best in NBA history.

Third NBA Championship (2017–2018)

In October 2017, Klay reached 9,000 career points, becoming the eleventh player in Warriors history to do so. In December, he tied a record for 89 straight games with a three-pointer. In February 2018, Klay passed Joe Barry Carroll to become tenth on the Warriors' career scoring list. He also reached 10,000 regular season career points.

Klay helped the Warriors beat the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. He joined Rick Barry and Stephen Curry as Warriors players with 600 postseason field goals. In the Western Conference Finals, Klay passed Barry for second place on the Warriors' career postseason scoring list. In Game 6, Klay made nine three-pointers and scored 35 points. This helped the Warriors win and force a Game 7 against the Houston Rockets. The Warriors won Game 7. In Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Finals, Klay played his 100th playoff game for the Warriors. He also became the sixth player ever to make 300 three-pointers in the postseason. Klay scored 20 points to help the Warriors take a 2–0 lead against the Cavaliers. The Warriors swept the series, winning back-to-back titles.

ACL Injury in Finals (2018–2019)

At the start of the 2018–19 season, Klay struggled with his three-point shooting. But on October 29, 2018, against the Chicago Bulls, he set an NBA record by making 14 three-pointers! This broke Stephen Curry's old record of 13. Klay scored 52 points in just 27 minutes. He made 14 of 24 three-pointers. His 10 three-pointers in the first half tied a league record.

In November, Klay moved into 21st place on the NBA's career three-pointers list. In January 2019, he scored 43 points with seven three-pointers against the New York Knicks. On January 21, he tied an NBA record by making his first 10 three-point attempts. He scored 44 points in that game. In March, Klay made five three-pointers, giving him 203 for the season. He and Stephen Curry became the only players in NBA history to have seven straight seasons with 200 three-pointers. Klay was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Team for the first time.

In Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, Klay missed his first playoff game ever due to a hamstring injury. He returned in Game 4 and scored 28 points. In Game 6, Klay tore his ACL (a knee ligament) and left the game with 30 points. The Warriors lost the game and the series. Klay finished the playoffs third in career postseason three-pointers.

Dealing with Injuries (2019–2022)

In July 2019, Klay agreed to stay with the Warriors on a five-year contract. The next day, he had successful surgery on his torn ACL. He missed the entire 2019–20 season. In November 2020, it was announced that Klay would miss the entire 2020–21 season too. This was because he suffered an Achilles tendon injury during a practice game.

Klay worked hard to recover. In November 2021, he was assigned to the Santa Cruz Warriors, the team's minor league affiliate, for rehab.

Comeback and Fourth NBA Championship (2022–2024)

On January 8, 2022, Klay announced he would return to play the next day against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his return, Klay scored 17 points in 20 minutes, and the Warriors won. In February, he scored a season-high 33 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. In March, Klay scored 38 points against the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks. In the last game of the regular season, Klay scored a season-high 41 points.

In the 2022 playoffs, Klay passed Ray Allen for third on the NBA playoffs all-time three-pointers list. In Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Klay scored 30 points and made eight three-pointers against the Memphis Grizzlies. In Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Klay scored 32 points and made eight three-pointers against the Dallas Mavericks. This win sent the Warriors to his sixth NBA Finals.

Thompson at the White House after winning his fourth NBA championship

In Game 1 of the Finals, Klay passed LeBron James for second on the NBA playoffs all-time three-pointers list. In Game 5, Klay joined Stephen Curry and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to make at least 100 three-pointers in the Finals. The Warriors won the series in six games, giving Klay his fourth NBA Championship.

In November 2022, Klay scored 41 points and made 10 three-pointers against the Houston Rockets. He, Stephen Curry, and Andrew Wiggins made 23 three-pointers together, an NBA record for a trio. In December, Klay became the 13th player in NBA history with 2,000 career three-pointers. On January 2, 2023, Klay scored a season-high 54 points in a double overtime win against the Atlanta Hawks. In February, he scored 42 points with 12 three-pointers twice! Klay became the only player in NBA history to have multiple games with 12 or more three-pointers in a season. He has done it three times, more than anyone else. In the final game of the regular season, Klay made his 300th three-pointer of the season. He joined Stephen Curry and James Harden as the only players to make at least 300 three-pointers in a season.

In October 2023, Klay passed Jamal Crawford for tenth on the all-time career three-pointers list. In November, he made a game-winning shot against the Sacramento Kings. In December, Klay passed Jason Terry and Vince Carter on the all-time career three-pointers list. In February 2024, Klay came off the bench for the first time since 2012. He scored a season-high 35 points and passed 15,000 career points. In April, Klay passed Kyle Korver for sixth on the all-time career three-pointers list. In the play-in game against the Sacramento Kings, Klay had a tough game, scoring zero points.

Dallas Mavericks (2024–Present)

After 13 years with the Warriors, Klay Thompson signed with the Dallas Mavericks on July 6, 2024. This was part of a big trade involving six teams, which was an NBA first!

On October 24, Klay made his Mavericks debut. He scored 22 points and made six three-pointers against the San Antonio Spurs. His six three-pointers set a Mavericks record for the most three-pointers in a debut game. On November 12, Klay returned to the Chase Center (the Warriors' home arena) as a visitor. He received a tribute video and scored 22 points against his old team. On December 25, Klay made his 2,561st career three-pointer, passing Reggie Miller for fifth on the NBA's all-time list.

On March 29, 2025, Klay made his 200th three-pointer of the season. He and Stephen Curry are the only players in NBA history to have at least 10 seasons with 200 or more three-pointers.

National Team Career

Thompson with the 2016 U.S. Olympic team

Klay Thompson has played for the U.S. national team. He won gold medals at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. He also won gold with the Under-19 national team at the 2009 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.

Player Profile

Klay Thompson is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He plays as a shooting guard. He is known for being a great and accurate shooter, especially from long range. His shooting style is often called "textbook" or "picture-perfect." Klay is mostly a "catch-and-shoot" player. This means he gets open by using screens from teammates and quickly shoots the ball.

Even though he isn't known for blocking shots, Klay is considered a strong defender. He can guard both quick guards and bigger players. Klay is also praised for his stamina, meaning he can play for a long time without getting tired.

Klay is known for his calm and quiet personality. He rarely shows a lot of emotion during games. He is one of the few NBA players sponsored by the Chinese shoe company Anta. Klay is also known as a "clutch scorer," especially in Game 6s of playoff series. His shooting numbers often go up a lot in these important games, earning him the nickname "Game 6 Klay."

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular Season

Playoffs

College

Awards and Achievements

Klay Thompson has earned many awards and achievements throughout his career:

• 4× NBA champion: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022
• 5× NBA All-Star: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
• 2× All-NBA Third Team: 2015, 2016
• NBA All-Defensive Second Team: 2018
• NBA Three-Point Contest champion: 2016
• NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2012
• NBA three-point field goals leader: 2023
• NBA free-throw percentage leader: 2024
• NBA regular season record for most points scored in a quarter (37)
• NBA regular season record for most three-pointers made in a game (14)
• NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single postseason (98, tied with Stephen Curry)

Personal Life

Klay's older brother, Mychel Thompson, played basketball. His younger brother, Trayce Thompson, is a Major League Baseball player. After winning the NBA Finals in 2015, Klay and his father became the fourth father-son duo to win an NBA title.

Klay is known for his unique, quiet sense of humor. He used to have an English bulldog named Rocco.

In late 2017, Klay helped raise money for relief efforts after the October 2017 Northern California wildfires. He donated $1,000 for every point he scored in certain home games. With help from sponsors and fans, he raised over $360,000.

Klay is also a big chess player. He has even met with former chess world champion, Magnus Carlsen.

In 2025, Klay began dating Grammy Award winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion.

See also

In Spanish: Klay Thompson para niños

• List of NBA career 3-point scoring leaders
• List of NBA single-season 3-point scoring leaders
• List of NBA single-game scoring leaders
• List of second-generation NBA players