NBA Draft Profiles: Klay Thompson, Washington State

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Stats: 21.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.7 apg, 3.4 t/o's, 1.6 bpg

Age: 21, junior

Size:

• Listed: 6'7", 205 lb
• Official: 6'5.75" (no shoes), 6'7.25" (with shoes), 6'9" (wingspan), 8'7.5" (reach), 206 lb

Strengths: In his three years in college, Thompson developed into one of the best scorers in the country. His game centers around his jump shot. He has range well beyond the NBA three point line and is capable of getting hot and reeling off three or four deep triples in a row. He is at his best when he gets put into catch-and-shoot situations. Thompson has a terrific motor and understands how to use screens to free himself up, making him quite tiring to try and defend. He needs to improve his ability to create putting the ball on the floor, but he understands how to create separation with the bounce and that, combined with his 6'7" frame and 6'9" wingspan should help make up for the fact that he has below-average athletic tools for a NBA wing. One area of his game that Thompson really expanded as a junior was his ability to create for his teammates. He averaged 3.7 apg, proving to be a capable creator.

Weaknesses: The biggest weakness in Thompson's game right now is his ability to defend. He has the length and anticipation to be very effective in the passing lanes -- see his 1.6 spg -- but he lacks the strength and, more importantly, the lateral quickness to be considered a defensive stopper. Its not for a lack of effort. Thompson works hard on that end of the floor and seems to understand defensive rotations, but that doesn't change the fact that NBA perimeter players will be able to beat him off the dribble. Thompson also turns the ball over a bit too much. He's not a great ball-handler and was forced to create his own shot off the dribble quite a bit as a junior. Playing more off the ball in the NBA, that should be less of an issue. Thompson is not great when it comes to slashing to the basket, but he does excel when he is coming off of screens and in close-out situations.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: The easy pick for Klay Thompson is Mike Miller, another tall and lanky jump shooter with obvious question marks on the defensive end of the floor. In his prime, Miller was a very good second or third offensive option with a deadly three point stroke. If Thompson can develop a more expansive offensive repertoire, he may end up one day being a scorer like Kevin Martin, capable of averaging 20 ppg.


• Worst Case Scenario: Draft Express uses Marco Bellinili and Swish Scout uses Francisco Garcia, neither of which I really love. That said, the role those two play is what Thompson will be forced into if he can't find the right fit with an NBA team. If his defense doesn't come around and the rest of his offensive arsenal doesn't develop, Thompson will be nothing more than a spot-up shooter at the next level.

Outlook: The key to Thompson's future as an NBA player is going to be his ability to adapt to a new role. At best, he is going to be a third-scoring option, a guy that is run off of screens and used to try and keep the floor spread with the threat of his jump shot. He can be dangerous in this role, as he is a lights-out shooter when he is left open and absolutely sensational at creating space for himself by reading an off-ball screens. If he can embrace this role, there certainly is a spot for him in the NBA, possibly even in a starting lineup. For that too happen, however, Thompson is either going to need to significantly improve his ability to be a one-on-one defender or land on a team that is known for their terrific team defense. Thompson is not a lock to have a long NBA career, but his ability to shoot the basketball will guarantee that he gets plenty of chances to have one.

Another issue that Thompson could end up facing will have to do with his arrest this past season for possession of marijuana. He apologized to the fans at center court prior to the game that he was suspended for and there have been reports that he has been open, honest, and apologetic to NBA teams about what happened. That's a good sign, but the arrest is still something that NBA teams are going to have to look into and do their due diligence on.

Draft Range: Late Lottery to Mid 1st Round

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "Thompson had one of the most impressive weeks in Chicago. There were a number of great shooters in the combine this weekend, but Thompson had the best shooting performance of any of the prospects on both days. His ability to shoot off the dribble combined with his excellent size (6-7 with a 6-9 wingspan) are going to be very intriguing for a number of teams in need of a shooter. He also handled interviews well. Two NBA teams said Thompson brought up the charges of marijuana possession early in the interview, didn't make excuses for the mistake, and said it would never happen again. While NBA teams will continue to do their due diligence to get a better feel for how big a problem it was or might be in the future, they came away encouraged."


• Draft Express: "With his highly developed perimeter skill set and feel for the game, Thompson could contribute early in his career, and probably doesn't have a significant upside beyond what he is now due to his physical limitations. There's no guarantee he seamlessly makes the role to being a lesser scoring option, however, and he will need to stay away from the bad habits he had earlier in his college career, something being drafted onto a winning team with strong coaching would definitely help avoid."


• Swish Scout: "Smart, efficient player who is a great shooter with range that extends to anywhere on the court and a much improved play maker with the ball in his hands. Klay must add strength and reduce turnovers, but he has the solid all-around game to be a solid contributor for a team on the NBA level."

Highlights: