Back in October, in honor of the start of the NBA’s 75th season, the league released the names of 75 players that had been named to their “75th Anniversary Team.” That list featured eleven active players, including former NBA MVPs Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Two names it did not include were Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Jalen Rose decided to remind Stephen A. Smith of that list during their pregame show in Miami prior to tonight’s Game 7 battle between the Heat and Celtics. And when he did, Stephen A. shocked the Twitterverse by saying he felt that Klay Thompson’s name SHOULD be on that 75th Anniversary Team, ahead of Harden’s and Westbrook’s.
Sure, Thompson’s currently playing some great basketball for the Golden State Warriors, while Harden and Westbrook’s careers both appear to be on the decline. And there’s also no denying that Klay has had himself quite the career.
But let’s be honest here. Besides his three NBA championship rings, Klay’s accolades pale in comparison to what Russ and Harden have accomplished in the league as individuals. Westbrook is a nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA First Team, five-time All-NBA Second Team, two-time scoring champ, three-time assists champ, and a former MVP. Harden’s resume is equally impressive, with 10 All-Star Game appearances, six All-NBA First Team nods, three scoring titles, and an MVP award of his own.
Meanwhile, Thompson has five All-Star Game appearances, and a couple of All-NBA Third Team honors. To say that he deserves to be named a top 75 all-time player, ahead of Westbrook and Harden, is a bit of a stretch.
And Twitter let Stephen A. Smith know it:
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