Though past his prime, Klay Thompson remains one of the best shooters in NBA history. He made his name with the Golden State Warriors, where he established himself as one-half of the legendary Splash Brothers alongside Stephen Curry.
Together, Thompson and Curry reshaped the league, influencing many of today’s players to take more shots from beyond the arc rather than relying on traditional rim attacks. While it’s safe to say Klay Thompson is one of the most influential players of his generation, the Dallas Mavericks star credits a 10-time All-Star with shaping his career.
Klay Thompson Names Ray Allen as His Influence in Basketball
Before the Curry-Thompson duo helped redefine how the game is played, long-range specialists like Ray Allen were already paving the way. Allen was one of the few shooters of his era who consistently knocked down shots from deep.
Allen was in his prime from the late 1990s through the late 2000s, a time when most players focused on attacking the paint and battling inside. Despite the prevailing style of play, Allen stood out as a player who could reliably drill shots from beyond the arc.
Apparently, it was Allen’s style of basketball that Thompson fell in love with while growing up watching the game. In a recent interview, the Mavericks star admitted that Allen’s influence helped shape him into the player he is today.
“I was in awe that I got to match up with Ray Allen that evening,” Thompson recalled when he faced his idol. “I was only 21 years old, and they just came off with a championship a couple of years prior. I watched those series against the Lakers so much, ‘08 and 2010.
“The fact that I was able to have a great game against that Celtics team with Kevin, Paul, Ray, and Rondo,” Thompson continued. “That was a huge catalyst for me, being a rookie, to know, like, okay, I can be a great player in this league if I work hard, because I just had a great game against a Hall of Fame team.”
Klay Thompson spoke on the interaction with Ray Allen that he says shaped the player he is today.
“I was in awe that I got to match up with Ray Allen that evening. I was only 21-years-old and they just came off with a championship a couple years prior. I watched those series… pic.twitter.com/IXX8YJDnZZ
— Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) January 18, 2026
Thompson went on to become one of the premier players of his generation, winning four NBA championships while developing a shooting style reminiscent of Allen’s impact on the game. Thompson recently climbed to fourth on the NBA’s all-time 3-point leaderboard, just one spot behind Allen.
