“I put him up there with LeBron, KD & Kobe”: Klay Thompson compares $118,473,846 teammate to legends with no-nonsense explanation

Klay Thompson has only ever played for two NBA teams in his storied career. Still, the Dallas Mavericks sharpshooter is convinced that one of his current teammates deserves a spot in the upper echelons of basketball legends.

Appearing on the “Showtime With Coop” podcast, Thompson told host Michael Cooper in no uncertain terms that Kyrie Irving is one of the greatest NBA players ever.

“I just have great respect for Kyrie. He’s the toughest guy I’ve ever guarded,” Thompson said of Irving. “I put him up there with LeBron, KD, and Kobe.”

Trending

Thompson went on to praise Irving (who is on a three-year, $118,473,846 contract with the Mavericks as per Spotrac) for some key intangibles that he brings to the team.

"You can just feel that energy when he walks in the building. He elevates everybody," the four-time NBA champion added. "I'm really excited when Kyrie comes back to the lineup so that we can be whole again."

After Thompson arrived in Dallas during the 2024 offseason, he and Irving played just 45 games together. Irving's season would come to an abrupt end after he tore his left knee ACL in late March.

Though Thompson got to team up with newly acquired star Anthony Davis in the 2025 play-in tournament, they failed to secure the final playoff spot in the Western Conference after falling to the Memphis Grizzlies.

No one can say for sure when Irving will come back to boost the Mavs' playoff chances next year, but as far as his place in basketball history goes, Thompson is certain that "Uncle Drew" deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest of all time.

"I gotta lead these guys with my voice": Klay Thompson reveals new role that he plays in Mavs locker room

In the same podcast appearance with Cooper, Thompson opened up on a new responsibility that he has taken on in his NBA career.

"I gotta lead these guys with my voice. I never really did that back in Golden State, so now I have a different calling to use my championship knowledge and show these guys it's a journey," Thompson said of his role with the Mavericks.

Joey Mistretta

@JoeyMistretta_

More from Klay Thompson from the same podcast appearance: "I gotta lead these guys with my voice. I never really did that back in Golden State, so now I have a different calling to use my championship knowledge and show these guys it's a journey... We just gotta peak at the right time. So, I'm really excited. I'm actually gonna go to the gym now. I haven't been this motivated in years."

Thompson added that he's "really excited" for the prospects of the Mavs this season. According to the five-time All-Star, his team just has to "peak at the right time."

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Simoun Victor Redoblado

Simoun Victor Redoblado is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over 12 years of experience writing for publications such as Collider, ALL-STAR Magazine, and Sir Charles in Charge.

Simoun has a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English and Minor in journalism. Thanks to the journalism courses that he took, Simoun understood the fundamentals of journalistic storytelling in the context of sports writing.

Passionate for the UP Fighting Maroons, Simoun is a fan of the NBA, PBA, UAAP, and FIBA.
His childhood team was the Chicago Bulls and Simoun was a longtime supporter of the Houston Rockets because his friends would say he looked like Yao Ming.

Simoun loves the systematic, tactical movement of the ball and the players, the stories behind each individual competing on the hardcourt and most of all, how basketball is a sport for life and all its struggles and lessons.

A father of two, Simoun spends his free time with his kids.

Know More