All the talk surrounding the Golden State Warriors this offseason has been rightfully focused on the arrival of Kevin Durant and the controversy of him joining a 73-win team that already has two-time MVP Stephen Curry.
But according to Steve Nash, a Warriors consultant and two-time MVP in his own right, All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson is the one who has been turning heads during the Warriors’ first two weeks of training camp.
“He’s a special, special player. Quiet guy. Doesn’t have any flash to his game other than shooting like no one else,” Nash said in a video posted by Anthony Slater of the San Jose Mercury News. “He doesn’t make fancy passes like others have in the past. But his effectiveness and the impact he has on defenses jut by being on the floor and his ability to guard.”
“He’s been the best player I think the first week or so of camp. That’s a good sign for this team.”
It’s a great sign for a team that already has two former MVPs in the starting lineup. Perhaps no other player in the league combines the kind of lights out shooting and lock down perimeter defense that Thompson brings to the court.
“The other guys can do more things than he can but he’s so good at shooting the ball and defending,” Nash continued. “He’s such an unbelievable player to have as what you would kind’ve call a sidekick.”
The Warriors sidekick lead them in their preseason home opener last night, scoring 30 points on 10 field goal attempts in only 21 minutes of action. Still it’s Thompson’s defensive ability that had Nash swooning on Wednesday afternoon.
“What he’s so good at is he’s so simple defensively. He’s not one of those slap the floor, overcommit guys. he uses his length and his strength. When you’re in tight, he uses his strength, when you’re out more, he uses his length.”
“I think he’s still a developing player as well so the sky’s the limit.”
