Is Klay Thompson a Top 5 NBA Shooting Guard?

Klay Thompson is known for being the second part of Golden State's "Splash Brothers" backcourt, but is he one of the best shooting guards in the league? His profile has certainly been elevated while playing on a playoff team alongside someone as good as Stephen Curry, but he's starting to come into his own as a player.

First off, his shooting ability is one of the best in the league. Thompson is great whether he's spotting up outside the arc or pulling up off the dribble outside the lane. The only other shooting guard who can touch him in this aspect is Houston's James Harden.

Blog_102512_Klay_576Outside of that, though, Thompson's offensive game becomes questionable. He's a serviceable passer and decent at finishing around the rim, but he's not a good offensive rebounder. Players like Lance Stephenson, Dwyane Wade, and Kobe Bryant blow him away in this regard.

Defensively, Thompson is respectable but not great. He uses his size to both shorter guards, but his lack of foot speed can be exposed when he's guarding someone on-the-ball. That being said, he's a good team defender and is solid with his rotations, but defense is definitely the weakest part of his game.

So where does he rank? Harden takes the cake as the league's top player at the position due to his offensive prowess, but veterans Bryant and Wade are right behind him. After that, Thompson falls into the next tier with Stephenson and Bradley Beal. Among those three, Thompson is the best of the bunch, making him the fourth best shooting guard in the league.

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