Klay Thompson Keeps Climbing: Veteran Sharpshooter Moves to 4th on All-Time 3-Point List
DALLAS - It’s been more than a decade since Klay Thompson helped launch a basketball revolution with the Golden State Warriors - a movement built on pace, space, and an avalanche of three-pointers. Now, in the twilight of his career and wearing a different jersey, Thompson continues to add chapters to his legacy.
On Thursday night, the 35-year-old shooting guard added another milestone to his Hall of Fame résumé. In the Mavericks’ 144-122 win over the Utah Jazz, Thompson knocked down six threes, pushing him past Damian Lillard for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time three-point field goals list.
That’s 2,809 career triples for Thompson - and counting. The only names ahead of him? A who’s who of perimeter royalty: former teammate Stephen Curry (4,201), James Harden (3,293), and Ray Allen (2,973).
For Thompson, it’s more than just numbers. It’s about the lineage - the shooters who came before him and shaped his game long before he ever wore an NBA jersey.
“I wouldn’t be here without Reggie Miller and Ray Allen,” Thompson said postgame. “I watched those two religiously as a teenager.
Their ability to move off the ball, read screens, and hit clutch shots - that was the blueprint for me. Just being on a list with them is surreal.”
Thompson’s journey to this point hasn’t been smooth. Injuries, roster changes, and the natural wear of time have taken their toll.
He’s no longer the two-way force who helped anchor a dynasty in Golden State. These days, he’s coming off the bench for a Mavericks squad that’s likely headed for the lottery again.
But don’t mistake that for irrelevance - Thompson can still light it up when he gets in rhythm.
He’s also stayed remarkably durable. After playing 72 games last season, he’s appeared in 39 of the Mavericks’ first 42 this year. And while his role may have changed, his passion for the game hasn’t wavered one bit.
“I love shooting the basketball,” Thompson said, smiling. “I was lucky to grow up with a hoop in my driveway - breakaway rim, big backboard.
That was my escape. I’d go out there after school or whenever I had chores to avoid.
Just hearing the swish of the net - that was my favorite thing in the world.”
That love of the game still fuels him. Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million deal with Dallas in the 2024 offseason, hoping to chase a fifth ring alongside Luka Dončić.
But that dream was short-lived. Dončić went down with a calf injury on Christmas Day 2024 and was eventually traded while still recovering.
The move effectively ended any realistic title hopes for the Mavericks - and for Thompson.
Still, if he’s bitter about how things have unfolded, he hasn’t shown it. He’s embraced his veteran role and keeps grinding, night in and night out. And now, with Ray Allen just 164 threes ahead of him, there’s a real chance Thompson could move into third before season’s end.
Passing Allen would be more than symbolic - it would be personal.
“I watched him so much growing up,” Thompson said. “I met him my rookie year, and that conversation we had really stuck with me. It inspired me to become the player I am today.”
Thompson’s influence is now coming full circle. Sitting across the Mavericks locker room is Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft and a rising star who grew up idolizing the Warriors’ dynasty. Back in 2015, when Golden State won its first title, Flagg was just nine years old - a kid in Maine, watching Thompson and Curry redefine the game.
“He told me he was nine when he watched me in the 2015 Finals,” Thompson said, shaking his head. “That puts a lot in perspective. I feel so honored to still be out here playing at a high level.”
Flagg, for his part, isn’t shy about where his basketball roots lie.
“I was a Warriors fan,” he said. “It was just entertaining basketball.
Probably one of the greatest teams ever. The way they shot the ball, the way they moved - Steph and Klay, it was just fun to watch.”
Now, Flagg gets to watch it up close. And while Thompson’s days as a franchise cornerstone may be behind him, his impact - both on the court and in the minds of the next generation - is still very much alive.
So don’t count him out just yet. The man who once dropped 37 points in a single quarter still has some fire left in the tank. And if he keeps shooting like this, Ray Allen might want to keep an eye on that rearview mirror.