Klay Thompson has carved out a legacy that will keep his name in the minds of basketball fans for years to come. The former Golden State Warriors star was a key contributor to a dynastic run and has thoroughly established himself as one of the greatest catch-and-shoot players of all time.
The extent of Thompson's greatness may be even more prolific than the average fan might presume, however, as the sharpshooter only seems to know how to win.
In a study conducted by HoopsHype, it was revealed that Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson averaged the most playoff wins per year of any All-Star in NBA history. Johnson's mark of 9.85 was well ahead of the competition, thus further solidifying his status as arguably the greatest point guard ever.
In second place behind Johnson in that intriguing statistic is none other than Thompson, who's currently tied with Jayson Tatum at 9.00.
"The Lakers legend not only holds the record for the best winning percentage ever (minimum 250 games) at 73.95 percent, but, according to our research, he's also the All-Star with the most playoff wins per season in NBA history. And it's not particularly close, with Johnson averaging 9.85 playoff wins per year, well ahead of Klay Thompson and Jayson Tatum, who are tied at 9.00."
Many can call themselves a winner, but only Johnson has been more reliable for postseason victories than Thompson amongst All-Star players.
Klay Thompson is second in NBA history in postseason wins per year by an All-Star
Thompson's average of 9.00 playoff wins per year is astonishing on several levels. One of the primary reasons for intrigue is the fact that he's made nine career postseason appearances, starting all 158 games during that time.
With a significant sample size of postseason trips and thus opportunities to see his average lowered, it can't be overstated how impressive his success has been.
An obvious caveat can be placed on this remarkable statistic. While Johnson and Tatum spent large portions of their respective careers as the No. 1 scoring option, Thompson played in the No. 2 and even No. 3 roles with the Warriors.
Four titles and six NBA Finals appearances later, however, it's difficult to take anything away from one of the most decorated champions of all time.
It's also worth noting that Thompson proved that he could put the Warriors on his back in a pinch. In 2016, for instance, Stephen Curry played just two games and 38 minutes in Golden State's first-round series against James Harden and the Houston Rockets.
Thompson led the way with 23.4 points per game, including a 27-point outing in the closeout game of a 4-1 series victory.
The question facing Thompson moving forward is whether or not he'll be able to add to his postseason résumé. He and the Dallas Mavericks went 39-43 in 2024-25, thus missing the playoffs, although there is hope that Cooper Flagg can help stabilize the ship.
Regardless of what transpires, Warriors fans are well aware of how Game 6 Klay has been built to win since the moment he put on Golden State's uniform.