It seems that Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors is still one of the most underrated players in the league.
Every year, ESPN releases a list of the top 100 NBA players for each season. As always, a debate is started over the order of the rankings. This time, Golden State Warriors fans are outraged that Klay Thompson has been ranked absurdly low.
Thompson comes in at No. 49 in ESPN’s edition of the rankings. This is better than the 57th spot he was given in Sports Illustrated’s version, but, this is still a very low rating for the three-time champion.
It must be noted that Klay is coming off of a devastating ACL injury that will certainly impact his production this season. As a result, it is understandable that he would be ranked lower on this list. However, there is an issue when we look at the players who have been placed above him.
Names such as DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Khris Middleton jump out initially. Though they are all proven stars, there is no doubt that Thompson is a more efficient and productive player than all of them.
Of course, the most egregious player listed ahead of Thompson is none other than Zion Williamson. The number one pick in the 2019 NBA Draft is sure to have a successful NBA career, but it is extremely disrespectful to rank him above a player like Thompson.
Over the last five seasons, Klay has been a pivotal member of one of the most dominant teams in NBA history. He has averaged 20+ points per game in each season and is elite on both ends of the floor.
Giving an unproven rookie such as Zion an advantage over Thompson is absurd. Williamson has yet to appear ina single NBA game yet he is considered better than a five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA member.
Hopefully, Thompson will prove everyone wrong when he returns from injury this season. At full strength, Thompson is a top 15 player in the league.