The best NBA Draft pick of all time at every slot
11. Klay Thompson, 2011 NBA Draft, Golden State Warriors
Just like at number four, the choice of who to put here came down to two surefire Hall of Fame players. Yet, when taking into account what Klay Thompson brings on both ends of the floor he ended up overtaking Reggie Miller. For as great as Reggie was with the Indiana Pacers, Klay Thompson has shown that he could do all the things Miller did well and then some.
Thompson is the other member of the Golden State Warriors’ beloved Splash Brothers backcourt. Similar to Pippen and Jordan, things really came together for Golden State once they paired Thompson and Curry together and gave them the freedom to play to the best of their talents. Thompson wasn’t always a well-known defensive ace but when he noticed that Curry was having issues defending the premier point guards in the league, Thompson put it on himself to get better so that he could take on the task and allow Curry to focus more on his game-breaking offense.
No slouch in his own right as a shooter, Thompson’s form is picturesque. If someone was trying to teach a player what a jump shot should look like they would show them Thompson’s shot. As much as Curry can quickly change the tide of any game from behind the arc, Thompson is just as quick to heat up. In 2015, Thompson set an NBA record for points in a quarter when he caught fire against the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter and put up 37 points — he would finish the game with 52.
Thompson will likely miss the bulk of next season after tearing his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, however, it is very easy to envision Thompson rehabbing for a year and coming back in the 2020-21 season and picking right up where he left off.