Golden State Warriors: Alpha Dog Rankings for 2016-17
By Weldon Jones
Klay Thompson (Shooting Guard)
18.5 Points Per Game (3rd)
3.0 Rebounds Per Game (Tied for 5th)
2.4 Assists Per Game (5th)
34.2 Minutes Per Game (2nd)
Klay Thompson is one half of the best shooting backcourt in NBA History. Let’s also not overlook the fact that he is deceptively athletic and is an elite defender at his position. The moment is never to big for Klay Thompson and he elevates the Golden State Warriors on both ends of the floor with his old school competitive mentality and otherworldly performances that he is more than capable of putting on at a moments notice.
Klay is infamous for torching the Oklahoma City Thunder in game six of the Western Conference Finals. He is the ultimate complimentary superstar in today’s game and he literally blows the game open for this Golden State Warriors team. He is steady.
This is evident by the fact that he plays the second most minutes on the team and has an extremely efficient Assist/Turnover Ratio (see A/To here). He isn’t flashy but he will put the team on his back if he is needed to and he won’t turn the ball over in the process. While Thompson is not the most talented Warriors’ star, his work ethic will not go unnoticed by me. He has improved as a leader and two-way superstar year in and year out.
This year he had to adjust thus far but has started to get back on track and there is no reason to believe he will not continue this trend. If you don’t believe Klay Thompson belongs on this list, just ask his Golden State Warriors’ teammates what they think of him! This guy could be a number one option anywhere, but luckily for the Warriors he chooses to elevate them to another level with his humble play that produces crazy numbers.