Klay Thompson Compares Kyrie Irving to NBA Legends, Names Top Shooters
Golden state Warriors guard Klay Thompson recently placed Kyrie Irving among the league’s all-time greats, alongside LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant. Thompson stated, “Put him up there with LeBron, KD, and Kobe. He’s got no weaknesses in his game.” The praise came during a discussion about the NBA’s best players and shooters.
Thompson recalled Irving’s dominant performance in Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals, where he scored 41 points on 17-of-24 shooting as the Cleveland Cavaliers began their historic comeback against the Warriors. However, irving’s availability remains uncertain, as he may miss the entirety of the 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn ACL, with a return after the All-star break being the earliest possibility.
When prompted to name the best shooters currently in the NBA,Thompson listed Stephen curry,Kevin Durant,himself,Devin Booker,and then hesitated before including either Luka Dončić,Damian Lillard,or Kyrie Irving.
Looking back at NBA history, Thompson identified Curry, Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, and Larry Bird as all-time shooting greats, adding himself to the list. Thompson, Curry, Miller, and Allen all rank within the top six in all-time three-pointers made. Bird maintained a 37.6 percent three-point shooting percentage and won three Three-Point Contests.
