Pro Cougars: How Klay Thompson Will Make an Impact with Dallas Mavericks this Season

The four-time NBA Title winner left his former Golden State squad to join the defending-Western Conference champions.

Keenan Womack | Aug 23, 2024

Apr 16, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) sits on the bench during action against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth quarter during a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

After an illustrious career with the Golden State Warriors that resulted in four championships, former Washington State Cougar Klay Thompson has left the Bay Area to join the Dallas Mavericks, playing alongside five-time all-NBA first-teamer Luka Doncic and eight-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving.

The Mavericks, who won the NBA's Western Conference last season before losing in five games to the champion Celtics, badly needed spot-up shooting on the roster after their perimeter scoring tanked against Boston in the NBA Finals. Thompson provides that, amongst other things, to a contending squad with a (mostly) younger corps.

Thompson provides more than simply catch-and-shoot offense, though – his screening is elite, and the Mavericks were a team that used non-big screens fairly often last season with players like Derrick Jones Jr. and even Dante Exum. Being that Thompson did this so much for teammates like Steph Curry, he can perform the same function for the aforementioned Doncic and Irving, as well as coming out of these actions and hitting shots.

Given his championship pedigree, he brings real winning experience as well as underrated defense. He has seen regression in this area, but not as profoundly as people have made it out to be. Thompson averages 0.9 steals per game for his career. He will be able to contribute off the bat for Dallas and will likely slide into a starting role next to Doncic, Irving, PJ Washington, and either Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford.

Thompson played at Washington State from 2008-2011, and was two-time all-Pac-12 as well as a member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman team. His senior year, he put up an astounding 21.6 points per game and averaged over 17 points per game for his entire collegiate career.

As the greatest Cougar basketball alum left in the NBA, and maybe ever, his new chapter will begin on a team looking to compete for its first championship since 2011.

Published Aug 23, 2024

KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.