“In my head, I’m Top 75 all time” – Klay Thompson on being snubbed from the NBA’s top 75 list
Golden State Warriors' superstar Klay Thompson is a disappointed man after being left out of the NBA's top 75 list. The list was put together to commemorate the league's 75th anniversary season.
The NBA released the top 75 in three phases, with 25 players being named each day over the last three days. A tie in the voting, however, led to 76 players being named overall.
Klay Thompson's name did not figure in any of the three lists. The 31-year-old took to Instagram to express his dejection at being left out. The Warriors' shooting guard, who is still recovering from än injury that has kept him out of NBA action for the last two seasons, wrote:
“Maybe I’m just naïve in my ability to play basketball, but in my head I’m TOP 75 all time.”
Thompson's teammate and the other half of the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry, made the top 75 list, as did Thompson's former teammate Kevin Durant.
Other contemporary names on the list include LeBron James, Damian Lillard, James Harden, Chris Paul, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Russell Westbrook.
The complete NBA 75th Anniversary Team ⬇️ #NBA75 https://t.co/v8Tz5ixaab
Klay Thompson is one of the greatest shooters of all-time
Klay Thompson has every right to feel aggrieved. In the eight years that he has played in the league, between 2011 and 2019, he has tallied five All-Star appearances.
Thompson is a three-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors. He and Steph Curry are the first two players to have made 200-plus threes every season for seven consecutive NBA seasons.
In his eight NBA seasons, Klay Thompson never shot less than 40.0% from downtown, an exceptional indication of his efficiency from long range.
Thompson also holds the NBA record for most points in a single quarter of an NBA game. He went off for 37 points against the Sacramento Kings in January 2015. He shot a perfect 13-for-13 from the field, nine-for-nine from beyond the arc, and two-for-two from the free-throw line during his record-setting period in that game.
From a team achievement perspective, Klay Thompson was a member of the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors' 73-9 team, which boasts the best regular-season showing by any team in NBA history.
In the two seasons after he got injured in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, the Warriors were unable to make it to the NBA's postseason.
Other notable exclusions from the NBA's top 75 list were Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Tony Parker and Kyrie Irving.
.@ReggieMillerTNT’s reaction to making the #NBA75 team is amazing 🙌 https://t.co/yscp0ePJqH
Also Read: Who are Klay Thompson’s Brothers?