Golden State Warriors All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson — winner of three NBA titles at the young age of 29 — was drafted by the Warriors 11th overall, specifically for his offensive weaponry.
But some panned the 2011 draft class as one of the weakest ever — other picks that year include Kemba Walker, Jimmer Fredette, Nolan Smith and Jonas Valanciunas — with one writer at Bleacher Report lamenting Golden State’s choice of Thompson in this vehement tirade:
Who needs defense anyway?
Golden State already has Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, two pure shooters who don’t play a lick of defense, so the Warriors went out and added Klay Thompson, a guard/forward who shoots and doesn’t factor in on the other end of the floor.
Brilliant.
Either the Warriors are going to shop Ellis hard in the offseason (something the team has denied), or this is a stupid pick, because Golden State eventually has to stop someone to start winning ball games on a consistent basis.
Golden State, of course, would go on to win its first NBA Championship in the Stephen Curry era just three years later (leaving this B/R writer to choke on his words).
Although it is unclear if Thompson developed into a defensive behemoth to prove the naysayers wrong, or if the Warriors already had their sights set on building defensively, or if, perhaps, it was a bit of both, the result is the same: The Golden State Warriors are a defensive powerhouse, and Klay Thompson is a big part of that.
In fact, it was a goal for Thompson to become “a two-way force” in the NBA, and the path towards developing defensive skills to match his offensive prowess began in 2012 under then-coach Mark Jackson. Here’s what Thompson did to become a defensive menace, how his defense shuts down opposing offenses and what his NBA peers think of his abilities:
Squats
Thompson told The New York Times recently that the process of becoming a solid defender began by squatting his way to a more solid lower body. In “Golden State’s Klay Thompson Is a Different Kind of Dangerous,” Thompson recounts the grueling summer of 2012 that followed his rookie season.
“They would kill us,” Thompson said. “It was not fun, man.”
Golden State didn’t make the postseason that year, so Thompson worked with other young players on the team to get better defensively. According to the Times, “the coaching staff would put 60 minutes on the clock and have them defend” — without stopping.
How squats helped Klay’s game: Spacing
Thompson said defending San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker in the 2013 Western Conference Semifinals allowed him to glimpse his defensive potential.
“I think that’s when I figured out I could be a two-way force in this league,” said Thompson.
Though the Warriors didn’t advance and the playoffs that year and Thompson meant “two-way force” as in offensive threat and defensive threat, the concept also applies to his ability to defend two players at once.
In the opening seconds of this clip, Thompson guards then-Clippers point guard Chris Paul as Paul advances the ball. But then Thompson also makes it absolutely impossible for Blake Griffin to get open to receive a pass from Paul.
Being 6-foot-7 definitely helps Thompson on defense. But the lower-leg strength allows him to hold position and take up space. This ruined the Clippers’ chances to score on the possession.
How squats helped Klay’s game: Lateral movement
“I always thought I had fast feet,” Thompson told the Times.
And that’s a good thing, given his general lack of hops — when Klay Thompson dunks, it’s as if NBA fans have seen a unicorn.
On defense, however, Thompson uses his feet — quickened during Mark Jackson’s tenure as head coach through a “four-on-four drill, in which [Jackson] passed the ball around the perimeter to members of his staff as Thompson and the others shuffled from side to side and worked on their rotations.”
According to the Times, the squad ran this drill “four days a week for about a month.”
The result?
Against Lou Williams, then with the Toronto Raptors, Thompson moves laterally towards the basket for a blocked shot.
Thompson has recorded 332 career blocks in the regular season, for an average of 0.5 block per game. The good news for Golden State is that Thompson knows when to apply defensive pressure and how to block without fouling.
YouTube study
Klay Thompson is a fan of YouTube highlights. According to the Times‘ profile, Thompson spends a good deal of time watching clips of his NBA colleagues. But he is quick to point out that his YouTube viewing habits are not about trying to learn, model or mimic opposing players’ offensive moves but devise ways to stymie them. And this is most important in the postseason.
“There are really no nights off as a defender, especially in the playoffs,” Thompson said.
In the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals, Thompson is facing off against the Houston Rockets’ James Harden in an epic battle of shooting guards. To prepare for Harden, it would be expected that Thompson studied a lot of film, whether officially during the team’s film sessions or at home on his laptop with Rocco snuggled next to him.
But the Warriors and the Rockets have learned each other well over the last several seasons. Although it may be a blessing that Thompson knows Harden’s game (and vice versa), each player may also rightfully view the dynamic as a frustrating curse.
Here’s what Thompson had to say about the challenges of guarding James Harden:
Respect for Harden’s scoring ability
According to Klay Thompson, the best way to guard James Harden is to stay disciplined and patient because Harden is so crafty in getting shots up when defenders least expect him to. But Thompson also explained the wisdom of picking his battles, stating that limiting Harden to 25 or 30 points should be considered a success given the reigning MVP’s ability to record 40 or 50 points on any given night.
Klay vs. James: 2019 NBA Playoffs
To fully understand why defensive acumen is critical for Klay Thompson and James Harden — especially when they are competing against each other — one look at their respective offensive capabilities tells the whole story. Thompson has an exceptionally quick release while Harden is crafty off the dribble. Two completely different, but dangerous scoring styles — both hard to defend.
Word around the league
Thompson may be able to defend Harden because of the respect he has for the bearded one’s game — he respects Harden’s offense enough to study it. But the rest of the NBA knows Thompson is a defensive beast in his own right.
Here’s what various NBA colleagues had to say about Thompson’s defense:
Ron Adams, Warriors assistant coach:
He’s one those guys who’s really engaged when he’s on the ball. He loves the challenge of stopping someone.
Adams admitted that Thompson sometimes loses focus on his defensive assignments, but commended his tenacity when in one-on-one situations.
Lou Williams, Los Angeles Clippers:
He doesn’t get enough credit for what he brings to the table defensively, because he’s such an elite shooter. But he’s a tough guard, man.
Landry Shamet, Los Angeles Clippers:
Everyone in the N.B.A. knows he’s going to guard. Good feet. Good positioning. He’s longer than you expect, quicker than you expect — stronger, bigger. He has all the tools.
Williams and Shamet both are experts in Thompson’s lockdown defense. Each player had his offense tested by Thompson in the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs when the Warriors beat the Clippers, 4-2.
In the Warriors’ series with the Rockets, James Harden is averaging 32 points across Games 1 and 2. According to Thompson, this is a success, given Harden’s propensity to put up even 60 points in a game.
Can Thompson keep up the pressure on Harden in Game 3 in Houston?
We’ll see on Saturday, May 4. Tipoff is at at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.
