Klay Thompson has made a bold comparison for his new team-mate in Miami. The Heat guard believes Giannis Antetokounmpo has the same kind of impact as his old Golden State Warriors partner Steph Curry.
Thompson spent 13 seasons alongside Curry, winning four championships with the Warriors. Now he is starting fresh with a revamped Miami side that brought in Giannis in a blockbuster trade this summer.
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It did not take long for the memories to surface.
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Thompson puts Giannis in the same class as Curry
Speaking to reporters in Miami on Tuesday, Thompson said:
‘They both have a similar impact on the game. I think Giannis would be the third MVP that I have been able to play with now, which is really cool. His interior scoring is one of the best ever and his jump shot is greatly improved. You can’t sag off him like you used to. He will punish you, and he’s just an incredible talent who has a great will to win. And I love being around guys like that who leave it out on the floor and really care about their craft.’
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The comparison was about more than skill. It was about the presence both players bring to winning, the same quality Thompson spent over a decade building around next to Curry.
He knows how rare this chance is. Landing with another MVP-calibre player this late in his career is not something he takes lightly, and he described his role in Miami as less about stats and more about using experience to guide the team.
That is the same role he filled during Golden State’s championship years.
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It is also why Antetokounmpo made the roster so appealing in the first place. Thompson is chasing the feeling that defined his best seasons, playing alongside a superstar who can carry winning basketball on his own.
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Putting Giannis in the same breath as Curry is not a compliment Thompson hands out easily. It says plenty about how highly he rates the two-time MVP, and it says just as much about what he believes Miami can be.
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