Klay Thompson turns mentor to Quentin Grimes who praises 4x NBA champion: "Learning from one of the best who has ever played"
Dallas Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes, now entering his fourth season, has found mentorship in sharpshooter Klay Thompson, who is set to begin his 12th NBA season in 2024-25.
According to Grimes, who will be playing his first year with the Mavericks like Thompson, the former Golden State Warriors guard has been instrumental in helping him improve his offensive game.
“I've been trying to talk his ear off the whole time. I mean, I'm talking to him every day. I shoot with him almost every day after practice and everything. So he’s just been like a really good mentor for me,” Grimes said about Thompson in an X post by Dallas Mavericks.
“Telling these little things on my shot, how to get an easier shot off, like pin downs. They call it ‘Klay Action’ for a reason. So, just learning from, from one of the best who’s ever played just gonna only elevate my game.”
Grimes, who was traded midseason from the New York Knicks to the Detroit Pistons last year, averaged 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game last season.
Klay Thompson, known as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, boasts a career 41.3% 3-point shooting percentage. However, his 3-point percentage dropped to 38.7% in the 2023-24 season, marking the second-lowest of his career and only the second time he’s shot below 40%.
In his final season with the Warriors, Thompson averaged 17.9 points per game while shooting 38.7% from deep across 77 games, his first time averaging under 20 points since the 2013-14 season.
Jason Kidd praises Klay Thompson’s leadership and championship experience
After the first day of training camp, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd praised Klay Thompson for his immediate impact on the team, noting his leadership and strong practice performances.
“He understands what it takes to win. His work ethic is like no other so he's going to help the younger guys but also he's going to help everyone when he's on the floor,” Kidd said, as per an X post by @JoeyMistretta_.
Kidd emphasized how valuable it is to have Klay Thompson, a four-time champion, join a team that reached the NBA Finals last year but lost to the Boston Celtics. He said Thompson’s championship pedigree brings a new leadership dynamic to the team.
“A lot of times we take for granted guys who have been there—he's been there. He's won, he's lost, he understands what it takes to get there. So for us, we have another resource to be able to lean on… Also, we all know he can shoot, but just his leadership, another leader in that locker room,” Kidd said.
The Mavericks will open their regular-season campaign on Oct. 24 against the San Antonio Spurs.