History of Klay Thompson in Timeline
Klay Thompson is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors. He is considered one of the greatest three-point shooters in NBA history and has won four NBA championships. Thompson is a five-time NBA All-Star and has also won gold medals with the US national team in the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
March 26, 1974: Rick Barry Scores 64 Points for the Warriors
On March 26, 1974, Rick Barry scored 64 points for the Warriors, a record that stood for over four decades.
1975: Golden State's Last Championship Before Thompson's Arrival
Prior to 2015, the last time the Golden State Warriors won an NBA Championship was in 1975.
1978: Mychal Thompson Drafted to the NBA
Klay Thompson's father, Mychal Thompson, was drafted first overall in the 1978 NBA draft.
February 8, 1990: Klay Thompson is born
Klay Alexander Thompson was born on February 8, 1990. He is widely considered one of the best three-point shooters in basketball history.
2008: Thompson Graduates High School
Klay Thompson graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School in 2008 after leading his team to a 30-5 record and a Division III State Championship appearance.
2011: Thompson Declares for NBA Draft
Klay Thompson declared for the 2011 NBA draft after his junior season at Washington State University.
2011: Thompson Sets Scoring Record at Washington State
Klay Thompson set the single-season scoring record at Washington State University (WSU) with 733 points during the 2011 season. He finished his college career as the third all-time leading scorer in WSU history.
2011: Golden State Drafts Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson was selected with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors.
February 2012: Thompson's Playing Time Increases
By mid-February 2012, Klay Thompson was averaging 17 minutes of playing time per game. The following month, this number increased to 30 minutes per game.
March 13, 2012: Golden State Trades Monta Ellis
The Golden State Warriors traded Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks on March 13, 2012. In the game following the trade, Klay Thompson scored a season-high 26 points.
March 2012: Golden State Trades Monta Ellis
On March 2012, the Golden State Warriors traded Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks. This happened after they drafted Klay Thompson in 2011, a move that prompted speculation that they would trade Ellis.
January 29, 2013: Thompson Scores Season-High 32 Points
On January 29, 2013, Klay Thompson scored a season-high 32 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
May 8, 2013: Thompson Sets Playoff Career-High
On May 8, 2013, Klay Thompson recorded a playoff career-high 34 points and 14 rebounds against the San Antonio Spurs.
October 31, 2014: Thompson Signs Contract Extension with Golden State
Klay Thompson signed a four-year contract extension with the Golden State Warriors on October 31, 2014.
2014: Thompson Wins Gold with the United States at the World Cup
Klay Thompson won a gold medal as part of the United States national basketball team at the 2014 World Cup.
2014: The Splash Brothers are Born
Klay Thompson and teammate Stephen Curry set an NBA record with 484 combined three-pointers in the 2014 season, earning them the nickname "the Splash Brothers." They would go on to break their record the following two seasons.
2014: Thompson Scores Season-High 38 Points in Season Opener
Klay Thompson started the 2014 season by scoring a season-high 38 points in the Golden State Warriors' first game.
2014: Chandler Parsons Sets Record for Three-Pointers in a Half
In 2014, Chandler Parsons established an NBA record for the most three-pointers scored in a half, a record that Klay Thompson later tied in 2018.
January 23, 2015: Thompson Scores Career-High 52 Points
Klay Thompson scored a career-high 52 points, including 11 three-pointers, on January 23, 2015 in a game against the Sacramento Kings. In the third quarter of that game, he set an NBA record for points in a quarter with 37.
January 29, 2015: Thompson Named to First All-Star Team
On January 29, 2015, Klay Thompson was named as a reserve for the Western Conference All-Star team for the first time in his career.
March 8, 2015: Thompson Passes Steve Kerr on NBA's All-Time Three-Point List
On March 8, 2015, Klay Thompson made three 3-pointers against the Los Angeles Clippers, surpassing his coach, Steve Kerr, on the NBA's all-time three-point list.
2015: Thompson Wins First NBA Championship
Klay Thompson helped lead the Golden State Warriors to their first NBA Championship since 1975.
December 5, 2016: Thompson Scores 60 Points in Under 30 Minutes
On December 5, 2016, Klay Thompson had a historic game, scoring 60 points in just 29 minutes against the Indiana Pacers. This made him the first player in NBA history to achieve this feat.
2016: Thompson Makes NBA History with Consecutive Playoff Games with at Least 7 Three-Pointers
During the 2016 NBA Playoffs, Klay Thompson made history by becoming the first player to hit at least seven three-pointers in consecutive playoff games.
2016: Thompson Wins Olympic Gold with the United States
Klay Thompson won a gold medal as a member of the United States national basketball team at the 2016 Olympic Games.
April 4, 2017: Thompson Scores 41 Points Against the Timberwolves
On April 4, 2017, Klay Thompson had a strong scoring night, putting up 41 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This marked his tenth career game with 40 or more points.
October 29, 2017: Thompson Surpasses 9,000 Career Points
On October 29, 2017, during a game against the Detroit Pistons, Klay Thompson surpassed 9,000 career points, solidifying his place as one of the franchise's leading scorers.
December 20, 2017: Thompson's First-Half Dominance Against the Grizzlies
On December 20, 2017, Klay Thompson displayed his scoring prowess, scoring 27 of his 29 points in the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies. Notably, he made his first nine field goals in the game.
December 27, 2017: Thompson Ties for Third in Consecutive Games with a Three-Pointer
On December 27, 2017, Klay Thompson hit three three-pointers in a game against the Utah Jazz. This moved him into a tie for third place with Dana Barros for consecutive games with a three-pointer, extending his streak to 89 games.
2017: Stephen Curry Signs Supermax Deal with Warriors
In 2017, Stephen Curry was eligible for and signed a 'supermax' deal with the Golden State Warriors, a lucrative contract option that Klay Thompson was not eligible for in 2019.
2017: Thompson Wins Second NBA Championship
Klay Thompson wins his second NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2017: Warriors Achieve Third Straight NBA Finals Appearance
In 2017, the Golden State Warriors, with Klay Thompson's defensive prowess, secured their third consecutive NBA Finals appearance. They became the first team in league history to start the playoffs 12-0.
January 17, 2018: Thompson Scores 38 Points Against the Chicago Bulls
On January 17, 2018, Klay Thompson delivered an impressive scoring performance, racking up 38 points in a win against the Chicago Bulls.
February 22, 2018: Thompson Reaches 10,000 Career Points
In a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on February 22, 2018, Klay Thompson achieved a significant milestone, reaching 10,000 career points. This accomplishment placed him among the top scorers in Warriors franchise history.
March 31, 2018: Thompson Returns from Injury with a Strong Performance
On March 31, 2018, after an eight-game absence due to a broken right thumb, Klay Thompson made a strong return to the court. He scored 25 points against the Sacramento Kings, showcasing his ability to bounce back from injury.
April 5, 2018: Thompson Climbs to 25th on the All-Time Three-Point List
On April 5, 2018, during a game against the Indiana Pacers, Klay Thompson made four three-pointers, moving him past Tim Hardaway into 25th place on the NBA's all-time three-point list. This achievement solidified his reputation as one of the league's elite shooters.
October 29, 2018: Klay Thompson Breaks NBA Record with 14 Three-Pointers
On October 29, 2018, Klay Thompson set a new NBA record by sinking 14 three-pointers in a single game against the Chicago Bulls. This surpassed Stephen Curry's previous record of 13. Thompson also tied Chandler Parsons' record of 10 three-pointers in a single half, contributing to a record-breaking 17 three-pointers for Golden State in the first half.
2018: Thompson Wins Third NBA Championship
Klay Thompson wins his third NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors.
July 1, 2019: Klay Thompson Signs Five-Year Contract with Warriors
On July 1, 2019, Klay Thompson decided to stay with the Golden State Warriors by agreeing to a five-year, $190 million maximum contract. This contract included a fifteen-percent trade kicker, a clause included due to him not being selected for an All-NBA Team. An All-NBA selection would have qualified him for a 'supermax' deal, a contract option Curry had in 2017.
2019: Klay Thompson Suffers Torn ACL in NBA Finals
In 2019, during Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Klay Thompson suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. This injury occurred as he was helping the Warriors attempt to stave off elimination against the Toronto Raptors, and he had to leave the game with 30 points. This game marked his first playoff game missed in his career. Despite his return in Game 4 and his efforts in Game 5, the Warriors ultimately lost the series.
2019: Thompson Suffers ACL Tear in NBA Finals
During the 2019 NBA finals, Klay Thompson suffered an ACL tear. This injury would sideline him for over two years.
January 18, 2020: Washington State Retires Thompson's Number
Washington State University (WSU) retired the number 1 that Klay Thompson wore during his college career on January 18, 2020. He became only the second men's basketball player to receive this honor at WSU.
September 2020: Klay Thompson Returns to Practice Following ACL Surgery
In September 2020, after a successful knee surgery for a torn ACL and missing the entire 2019-20 season, Klay Thompson returned to practice with the Golden State Warriors.
November 28, 2021: Thompson Assigned to G League for Rehab
On November 28, 2021, as part of his rehabilitation, Klay Thompson was assigned to the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State's G League affiliate. This assignment was for rehab purposes and he was recalled on December 1st. He was reassigned to Santa Cruz again on December 11th alongside James Wiseman.
2021: Thompson Returns from Injury
Klay Thompson returned to play during the middle of the 2021-2022 NBA season after missing over two seasons due to an ACL tear.
January 8, 2022: Klay Thompson Announces Return to Court
After a long period of rehabilitation and recovery, Klay Thompson announced on January 8, 2022, that he would be making his much-anticipated return to the court the next day, on January 9, against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2022: Klay Thompson Wins Fourth NBA Championship and Achieves Playoff Milestones
In 2022, Klay Thompson achieved a number of significant milestones in his career. He surpassed Ray Allen for third place on the NBA's all-time playoff three-pointers list. Later, in the NBA Finals, he surpassed LeBron James to claim the second-place spot on that same list. Thompson also joined Stephen Curry and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to sink at least 100 three-pointers in the NBA Finals. To cap off this successful year, Thompson and the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals, earning Thompson his fourth NBA championship title.
2022: Thompson, Curry, and Wiggins Set Three-Point Record
In a game against the Houston Rockets in 2022, Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, and Andrew Wiggins combined for a record-breaking 23 made three-pointers, establishing a new NBA record for the most three-pointers by a trio in a single game. This season also saw Thompson become the 13th player to reach 2,000 career three-pointers.
2022: Thompson Wins Fourth NBA Championship
Klay Thompson wins his fourth NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors.
January 2, 2023: Klay Thompson Scores Season-High 54 Points
On January 2, 2023, Klay Thompson set a new season-high by scoring 54 points in a double-overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks. This season, he also distinguished himself as the only NBA player to have multiple games with at least 12 three-pointers, surpassing his teammate Stephen Curry who has achieved this twice in his career. Thompson also became one of only three players, along with Stephen Curry and James Harden, to make at least 300 three-pointers in a season.