WATCH: 7 years ago, Klay Thompson touched the ball for 90 seconds and dropped 60 points!
Seven years ago, Klay Thompson proved why he's one of the best scorers of his generation. The Golden State Warriors star scored 60 points in 29 minutes of gameplay against the Indiana Pacers.
Thompson's buckets came primarily off catch-and-shoot opportunities, meaning he scarcely touched the ball, with his total possession time accounting for 90 seconds.
Throughout his career, Thompson has been a force on the offensive end. His ability to attack close-outs, knock down jumpers, and stretch the floor for his teammates has made him one of the best secondary options in the NBA.
Pairing Thompson with arguably the greatest shooter in history, Steph Curry, is a primary reason why the Warriors have won four championships over the past decade. It's also why the moniker of "The Splash Brothers" will live on beyond Thompson and Curry's careers in the league.
Thompson's 60 against the Pacers is one of the most memorable moments of his career. However, he's also dropped 37 points in a quarter during his tenure with Golden State, with the feat coming against the Sacramento Kings in 2015.
Even now, at a late stage in his career, Thompson is still a threat to stack up points in a hurry, especially as a floor-spacing catch-and-shoot threat.
Klay Thompson's contract with the Golden State Warriors is expiring
Despite his storied history with the Golden State Warriors, there's a slight chance Klay Thompson's tenure with the franchise could come to an end in the summer of 2024. The veteran shooter's current contract is in its final year, which would see Thompson hit unrestricted free agency at the end of the season.
However, Golden State could still move to extend their veteran champion. Last season, the front office allowed Draymond Green to play out his final year before extending him a four-year $100 million deal.
The thinking behind letting their stars play out their final season is that it allows the front office to evaluate the player's current talent and what is a fair contract for both parties.
It's also worth noting that Thompson has been vocal about his desire to remain in Golden State.
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else,” Thompson told Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “To play for one franchise, man? That’s so rare. In any sport. Football. Baseball. Basketball. Australian Rules Football. To play for one club is insane. It’s some real legendary stuff. Even what Udonis Haslem did. He’s revered in Miami. Locally... It’d be so hard to envision myself in another uniform.”
Still, until Thompson signs a new contract with the Warriors, he is a threat to leave in free agency, and that would be a hammer blow to both Golden State and Thompson himself.