Klay Alexander Thompson is a professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Golden State Warriors. Thompson was born February 8, 1990 in Los Angeles, California to Mychal Thompson, a former NBA player, and Julie Leslie Thompson, a former volleyball player.
Thompson’s family moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon when he was two years old. There he met and became childhood friends with Kevin Love, another future NBA star. Thompson’s family later returned to California, settling in Landera Ranch where Thompson attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School in nearby Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Thompson played for the Santa Margarita Catholic High School basketball team helping them go to the Division III championship where they lost. Nonetheless Thompson was named Division III state player of the year, league MVP, first-team Best in the West, and an EA Sports Second Team All-American, all significant honors for a high school basketball player.
After graduating high school in 2008, Thompson attended Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. There Thompson played for the Washington State Cougars men’s basketball. During his year with the Cougars, he was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team and All Pac-10 First Team.
Thompson remained with the Cougars until the end of his junior season where he decided to declare eligibility for the 2011 NBA Draft. He was drafted 11 overall by the Golden State Warriors and soon afterward made the team. Since playing with the Golden State Warriors, Thompson has established himself as an elite shooter who along with teammate Stephen Curry became one half of the duo called “the Splash Brothers” because of their long range three-point shooting abilities.
Thompson also became an NBA All Rookie First-time, three-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA third team, and NBA Three-point Contest champion. He has won gold medals as part of the USA Men Basketball teams in 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain and 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In 2015 Thompson was a member of the Warrior team that faced and defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and his childhood friend Kevin Love, in six games to win his first NBA championship. The following season, Thompson and the Warriors returned to the 2016 NBA Finals with a record setting 73-9 regular season won-loss record, the best in NBA history. Yet the Warriors lost to the Cavaliers in seven games.
With the addition of Kevin Durant, the Warriors met LeBron James and the Cavaliers, for an unprecedented third time in the NBA championship series in 2017. This time Thompson and the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in five games.
For some time, Thompson was known to be romantically linked to internet personality and model Hannah Stocking. The couple however would later break up. Thompson has no children.