Post by jhb on May 10, 2021 13:54:04 GMT -5
Klay Thompson
SG
6'6"
215
21
Washington State
Shooters shoot and this shooter is a shooter who will shoot from short, medium, long, extra long, and even longer range. There probably hasn't been a player to come into TMBSL yet to this point with the shooting ability of Klay Thompson yet to this point. He is unparalleled in his ability to hit the three pointer, not just when his feet are set and he's open, but even when streaking around screens (he is an excellent off-the-ball mover) and catching and turning in traffic. He plays within himself and keeps a level head and that icy demeanor shines through in his consistency at sinking shots from distance. His range is all the way out to half-court and he'll pull the trigger as soon as he has an inch of space to get the shot off...almost half the shots he attempted in college were from distance and he converted almost 40% which was extremely impressive for the level of difficulty on some of his attempts. His mechanics are absolute perfect, very repeatable, and he always manages to find a way to square his shoulders to the rim before he shoots with excellent body control. He will likely be an elite free throw shooter at the next level as well.
While he will be an elite catch and shoot specialist at the next level, he's not totally one dimensional. He's good enough with the ball in his hands that he can create his own shot if necessary. He's adept at using screens to create space for him to pull-up and he converts those attempts well. He's got a good in-between game and he has a tear drop floater that he uses when necessary. When he catches defenders sleeping, he's still capable at driving past them and finishing strong at the rim. He plays more athletic than he really is because he has good length, so he finishes well around the rim even in traffic. He doesn't play much above the rim due to his athletic limitations, but he's got good enough foot speed that he can stay in front of most defenders in half court though transition defense may give him some trouble. He made progress defensively throughout his collegiate career, and averaged about 1.6 steals per game his final season, showing some great development in that aspect from his first year. He has the length to contribute more than most guards on the boards.
Thompson kind of is who he is at this point, but that's not to say he isn't already a great player and that his elite shooting won't make an immediate spot for him, especially for teams seeking an outside scoring punch at the 2.
