Klay Thompson Bio
Klay Alexander Thompson is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A celebrated shooting guard, Thompson spent his first 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, where he became part of the famed “Splash Brothers” alongside Stephen Curry. He is widely regarded as one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history, a five-time All-Star, and a four-time NBA champion.
Early Life and Background
Thompson was born on February 8, 1990, in Los Angeles, California, to Julie and Mychal Thompson. His mother played college volleyball at the University of Portland and the University of San Francisco, while his father was the first overall pick of the 1978 NBA draft. When Thompson was two years old, the family moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon, where he was childhood friends and Little League teammates with future NBA star Kevin Love. Thompson and his brothers were raised as devout Catholics and have Bahamian ancestry through their father.
When he was 14, the family relocated to Ladera Ranch, California. He attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, graduating in 2008. As a senior, he averaged 21 points per game and led the school to a 30–5 record and a Division III state championship appearance. During the state finals, he set a record with seven three-pointers in a single game and was named Division III State Player of the Year.
Path to Basketball
Thompson began his college career at Washington State University, where he started all 33 games as a freshman under coach Tony Bennett. He led the team in three-point and free-throw shooting and earned Pac-10 All-Freshman Team honors. In his sophomore season, he led Washington State to the Great Alaska Shootout Championship, earning Most Outstanding Player honors after scoring 43 points in the final.
As a junior, Thompson led the Pac-10 in scoring and became a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 selection. He set the school’s single-season scoring record with 733 points and finished as Washington State’s third all-time leading scorer. In January 2020, the school retired his No. 1 jersey, making him the second Washington State men’s basketball player to receive that honor.
Klay Thompson Career
Early Career (2011–2014)
Thompson was selected 11th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2011 NBA draft. He quickly earned a reputation as a sharpshooter, finishing his rookie season on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In his second season, he scored a career-high 32 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers and formed a dynamic backcourt duo with Curry. The two combined for 483 three-pointers in 2012–13, then an NBA record for a duo.
On October 31, 2014, Thompson signed a four-year, $70 million contract extension with the Warriors. He set a then-career-high of 41 points the next day against the Los Angeles Lakers, signaling his rise as one of the league’s premier scorers.
Golden State Warriors Breakthrough (2014–2019)
On January 23, 2015, Thompson scored a career-high 52 points with 11 three-pointers against the Sacramento Kings, setting an NBA record with 37 points in the third quarter. He was named a Western Conference All-Star for the first time and helped the Warriors capture the 2015 NBA Championship, ending a 40-year title drought for the franchise.
The following season, Thompson won the NBA Three-Point Contest and helped the Warriors win a then-record 73 games. He and Curry combined for 678 three-pointers, setting another league mark. The Warriors reached the 2016 NBA Finals but lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. Thompson then played a key role in the 2017 and 2018 championships, including scoring 11 three-pointers in a Game 6 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2016 Western Conference Finals. In 2018, he set a single-game NBA record with 14 three-pointers against the Chicago Bulls.
Injury and Return (2019–2024)
In Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, Thompson tore his ACL, sidelining him for over two seasons. He suffered a torn Achilles tendon during his recovery, forcing him to miss the 2020–21 campaign as well. Thompson returned to the court on January 9, 2022, and helped the Warriors win their fourth championship that June. In January 2023, he scored a season-high 54 points against the Atlanta Hawks and became the only player in NBA history to record multiple games with 12 or more three-pointers in a single season.
Dallas Mavericks Era (2024–Present)
On July 6, 2024, Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks via a historic six-team sign-and-trade, the first such transaction in NBA history. He debuted on October 24 with 22 points and a franchise-record six three-pointers against the San Antonio Spurs. On March 29, 2025, he recorded his 200th three-pointer of the season, joining Curry as the only players with 10 such seasons.
Driving Style and Strengths
Thompson is a textbook catch-and-shoot guard whose quick release, three-point range, and free-throw accuracy make him one of the league’s most efficient scorers. He is regarded as a strong on-ball defender thanks to his size at the position. Teammates and coaches frequently praise his stamina and clutch play, especially in Game 6 situations, where his shooting percentages rise sharply.
Notable Events and Milestones
Thompson holds the NBA record for three-pointers in a single game with 14, set in October 2018. He scored an NBA-record 37 points in a single quarter in 2015 and joined his father Mychal Thompson as one of only a few father-son NBA champions. In 2020, he became the first player to reach 2,500 career three-pointers at a rapid pace and ranks among the top five in NBA history in three-pointers made.
Klay Thompson Career Wins
Thompson has won four NBA Championships (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) and the 2016 NBA Three-Point Contest. He has also earned two Olympic-style gold medals with USA Basketball, including the 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics, plus a 2009 FIBA U-19 World Championship title.
NBA Highlights
His first NBA title came in 2015, when he helped the Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. His most recent championship came in 2022, when Golden State beat the Boston Celtics in six games. Thompson has been selected to five All-Star Games (2015–2019) and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2015 and 2016.
Other Wins and Performances
Thompson won gold at the 2009 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in New Zealand and helped the United States win gold at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. In college, he led Washington State to the Great Alaska Shootout title and was twice named first-team All-Pac-10.
Klay Thompson Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Thompson’s father, Mychal Thompson, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft and won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. His older brother, Mychel, played in the NBA briefly with the Cleveland Cavaliers, while his younger brother, Trayce, played in Major League Baseball. After the 2015 NBA Finals, Klay and Mychal became one of the few father-son duos to win NBA titles.
Personal Life
Thompson is known for his laid-back, dry-humored personality and his passion for chess, having met world champion Magnus Carlsen. He previously dated actress Laura Harrier from 2018 to early 2020, and in 2025 he confirmed a relationship with rapper Megan Thee Stallion. Thompson has been sponsored by the Chinese shoe company Anta since 2016.
2025 Season Performance
Thompson’s first full season with the Dallas Mavericks showed him continuing as a reliable scoring threat. He opened the year with 22 points and six three-pointers in his debut against the San Antonio Spurs, a Mavericks franchise record for a debut. By late March, he had already reached 200 three-pointers, placing him among the league’s most prolific shooters once again.
His veteran presence and three-point shooting provided spacing for Dallas’s offense throughout the year. On Christmas Day against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he passed Reggie Miller for fifth on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers list, cementing his status as one of the greatest shooters in league history.
Heading into the next season, Thompson remains a key contributor for the Mavericks and continues to climb the league’s all-time scoring and three-point lists. His combination of experience, defense, and shooting keeps him central to Dallas’s competitive ambitions.
