Comparing Golden State Warriors Players to Hip-Hop Artists

Klay Thompson – J. Cole

Mar 24, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the national anthem before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

Klay Thompson finally reached stardom during his 2014-15 campaign and it looks like he can keep going up. After several years in the game–each better than the last–Thompson has made himself a household name. After several albums–each with bigger hits than the last–J. Cole finally crossed the threshold into the upper echelon of rappers.

J. Cole, for many, was boring. He didn’t put out bad music–in fact, there were some good tracks–but it always felt lacking. With every album, there was improvement. Flows got smoother while lyrics were more deliberate and meaningful. With his latest release, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, J. Cole gave fans a front row seat to the story of his life. He came out guns blazing and gave everyone a more aggressive and developed Cole that surely shattered this notion of his songs being boring.

Early in his career, Thompson was primarily a shooter. Then he became an extremely effective defender. Then he developed a post game. Then he improved his finishing at the rim. Then he improved his ability to drive the ball. Every fall, the shooting guard comes back with something new.

Aside from actually basketball techniques, Thompson came back with an edge. His reserved nature can no longer be confused with tentativeness. He’s fearless, willing to attack anything in his way. He’s finally come into his own. He’s come out of his shell and his smooth shooting shows how comfortable he is right now. He knows he’s a star, but he’s not willing to take that for granted.

With their most recent work, both J. Cole and Klay Thompson have proven that they are at the top of their field. Now, the world awaits to see how they will outdo themselves.

Next: Stephen Curry