Klay Thompson honors 5x NBA All-Star for 'blueprint' to his shooting after recording career milestone on Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks' Klay Thompson achieved a remarkable milestone in his illustrious career on Christmas. He passed his idol, Reggie Miller, on the all-time 3-pointer list and took to Instagram to honor the 5x NBA All-Star.

"One of my favorite memories along this journey was working out for the Knicks in June 2011, and Donnie Walsh told me how much I reminded him of Reggie. That meant the world to me and inspired me to never stop shooting. Salute to the greatest to ever shoot it @reggiemillertnt! Thanks for the blueprint OG!" Thompson said in the caption.

Thompson now sits fifth after knocking his 2,561st 3-pointer in the 105-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. It is no mean feat for the four-time NBA champion, who has had a fair share of injuries in the past. He missed two and a half seasons for a torn Achilles tendon and ACL injury. Then defied expectations to come back in the 2022-23 season to lead the league in total 3-pointers made (301).

He trails Steph Curry, James Harden, Ray Allen, and Damian Lillard on the prestigious list. Curry, Thompson's former teammate at Golden State, is the all-time leader with 3,841 3-pointers made and still counting.

Thompson received a congratulatory message from Miller, who told him to keep moving up. Now he has his sights on Lillard. With Luka Doncic injured, he would be relied upon by the Mavericks to be a threat from beyond the arc.

---

What's next for Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks?

Klay Thompson and the Mavericks (19-11) were hoping to make it three consecutive wins against the Timberwolves on Christmas Day. Ultimately, they fell despite attempting a comeback from 28 points down.

Image source: Imagn

Currently sitting fourth on the Western Conference standings, the Mavericks would need to put up a much better fight when they face the Phoenix Suns on Friday.

Klay Thompson, in his first season with the Mavs, is averaging 14.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Additionally, he is shooting 42.2% from the field and 39.1 from the 3-point line.