Shams Charania believes Klay Thompson gets “overlooked” as one of the best shooters ever

NBA insider Shams Charania believes Klay Thompson gets overlooked as one of the best shooters in the game. Charania gave Thompson his flowers for rejuvenating himself after a poor start to the season. The Warriors star produced his first 50-point game since 2018 in the team's 143-141 double-OT win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Thompson looked like his old self again. He delivered on his claim that he would figure things out and get back to his best after a slow start to the season. Charania applauded Thompson's mindset, saying:

"He's been telling everyone all year, publicly and privately, he's gonna figure this out, he's gonna turn it around. He got off to a really slow start. And I think you're seeing those averages come back, the shooting percentages come back... “Klay Thompson - one of the best shooters ever. I think that gets overlooked a lot.”

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Critics questioned Thompson's ability to match the levels he was playing before he tore his ACL and Achilles in 2019 and 2020, respectively, due to which he missed two and a half seasons.

He averaged 12.3 points and shot a career-low 34.6% from the field, including 28.6% from the 3-point range in October. Thompson has improved those numbers to 20.3 PPG on 41.2% FG and 38.6% 3PT shooting as the season progressed.

Steph Curry's absence provided a chance for Klay Thompson to rediscover his rhythm

The Golden State Warriors relied heavily on Steph Curry to produce the goods and lead them to wins early in the season. Klay Thompson's struggles only increased the load on Curry's shoulders. The two-time MVP, unfortunately, sustained a shoulder injury on December 5th against the Indiana Pacers.

Thompson had to step up in his backcourt partner's absence to guide the team. The extra usage and shot attempts have allowed the 5x All-Star to rediscover his rhythm. His 54-point outburst against the Hawks is a testament to that.

Klay Thompson made 21-of-39 attempts from the field, including 10-of-21 from 3-point range. He also had eight rebounds. Thompson's confidence has also developed in late-game situations. This is crucial for the Warriors and their hopes of winning back-to-back championships this year.

They lack the depth that they have had over the past few seasons, so the team's stars like Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins will have the onus on themselves to play out of their skins come crunch time. The Warriors will hope that Thompson continues to perform consistently as he remains integral to their championship aspirations.