The Dallas Mavericks’ season opener against the San Antonio Spurs carried extra weight, with all eyes fixed on Klay Thompson in his Mavs debut.
After showing mixed form in preseason, anticipation built around his partnership with Luka Doncic.
Following Thompson’s first game with Dallas, NBA analyst Charles Barkley shared his candid thoughts about the former Golden State Warriors star.
“He was the best two-guard in the NBA for a span of x-amount of years. Offensively and defensively. He’s a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. Everybody likes Klay Thompson, but no player gets better with age. Let’s stop that. He got the two bad breaks with the ACL and the Achilles, and that’s the reason the Warriors wanted to move on; he’s not the same player,” Barkley said, via NBA on TNT.
“Everybody likes Klay Thompson, but no player gets better with age” ⌛
Chuck gives his take on the future hall of famer 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/dmbMhwJ3QX
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 24, 2024
Despite Barkley’s skepticism about Thompson’s ability to help the Mavericks reach consecutive NBA Finals, the veteran shooter silenced his critics on opening night.
When his signing was announced this offseason, skeptics suggested Naji Marshall deserved the starting spot instead, questioning Thompson’s defensive capabilities alongside Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Thompson’s performance, however, told a different story. He showed coach Jason Kidd his worth on tough defensive assignments, a crucial asset for Dallas moving forward.
While his shooting touch remains elite, it’s his positioning and defensive commitment that has pleasantly surprised many.
If his first game is any indication, those early concerns might fade as the season unfolds.
As long as Thompson maintains this level of two-way play, Mavericks fans have every reason to be optimistic about their new addition.
NEXT:
Colin Cowherd Predicts One NBA Player Will Have An 80-Point Game
