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After winning the NBA Finals last season, Klay Thompson looks ready to defend the title. In a video captured by Swish Cultures, Thompson was seen training hard trying to get back into game shape.
Ever since his return to the game after 941 days, we've only seen glimpses of the "old" Klay Thompson. He shared the court with rising stars Jordan Poole and Gary Payton II last year. While Klay still averaged an efficient 20.4 points per game in 32 games, we are yet to see the best version of Thompson.
Thompson averaged 17.0 points per game in the 2022 Finals and shot 35.6% from the field. These numbers are low for Klay, who is considered one of the best shooters in the league.
It looks like Thompson is working hard this offseason to get back to his best. If that happens, Golden State Warriors fans might see the vintage "Splash Bros" at their explosive best again.
What version of Klay Thompson should the NBA expect this coming season?
To be honest, it's dreadful to see players suffer a potential career ending injury in the NBA. Many athletes struggle to play at their highest level after such a long layoff. However, Klay Thompson is fortunate enough to be playing at a good level after missing two seasons.
Klay has no doubt exceeded expectations after returning from injury. As mentioned earlier, players who have suffered career threatening injuries normally become a shadow of their former selves. However, that's not the case for Thompson.
Even though Stephen Curry is considered the NBA's greatest shooter of all-time, some people think it's Klay Thompson. The reason being, Thompson has been on par with Curry's efficiency from 3-point territory. Throughout their careers, Klay has shot 41.7% from long distance while Curry is at 42.8%.
If Klay hadn't shot a career-low 38% 3-point field goal last season, he could have had a better 3-point shooting percentage than Curry. Thompson is a more efficient catch-and-shoot player than Curry. He also has a faster release time than Steph, which gives him the ability to quickly release after catching the ball.
After returning from injury, Klay Thompson performed at a decent level last year. While his numbers were lower than usual, he was still a very important player for the Warriors. He will be looking to regain full fitness this offseason and help his team make a another deep playoff run.
