With the 2014-15 NBA season quickly approaching, all of the focus for the Los Angeles Lakers has been on the return of Kobe Bryant. After two consecutive season-ending injuries, there are doubts from the media if the 36-year-old will continue playing at a superstar level.
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While many feel James Harden has surpassed Kobe as the NBA’s best shooting guard, Klay Thompson’s agent believes his client is the top two-way, two-guard in the league via USA Today’s Sam Amick:
“I don’t want (Los Angeles Lakers star) Kobe Bryant to go crazy, but there’s some uncertainty as to who he is right now (because of injuries that limited him to six games last season),” Duffy told USA TODAY Sports. “But I think Klay Thompson right now is the top two-way, two-guard in basketball. I think when you look at his body of work, when you look at what he accomplished guarding point guards on a regular basis (last season), I think it’s pretty clear.”
Thompson’s father and former Laker, Mychal, has been telling his son that he is the best two-way shooting guard for the last couple of seasons now:
“I’ve been telling him (he’s the best two-way shooting guard) for a couple of years now,” said Mychal Thompson, who has the unique distinction of being on both sides of the argument as Klay’s father and an ex-Laker and longtime commentator for Bryant’s team. “Everybody knows that he can score, but I always told him I’m so proud of how he takes so much pride in defense as he does with scoring.
These comments about Thompson come after winning gold at the FIBA World Cup with the Warriors shooting guard eligible for an extension by October 31. While there were rumors the Lakers were interested in trading their seventh pick in the 2014 NBA Draft for Thompson, Los Angeles ultimately decided to pick Kentucky forward, Julius Randle.
With Thompson demanding a maximum contract, it will be interesting to see if these discussions will affect his play. While Thompson is one of the best up-and-coming shooting guards in the league, these comments should add to Kobe’s fuel as he looks to prove doubters wrong this season.
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