Klay Thompson makes his feelings clear.
Klay Thompson Won't Tolerate This Kobe Bryant Disrespect originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Dallas Mavericks star Klay Thompson won't stand for any disrespect towards NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
Thompson made that abundantly clear after Bleacher Report released its latest ranking of the 100 greatest players in NBA history. On the list, the late Los Angeles Lakers legend was ranked No. 11, behind Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain and Steph Curry.
While the BR list was full of praise for Bryant, even noting that "there’s a case to be made that Kobe is actually the most influential to ever set foot on the NBA’s hardwood," many players and fans alike felt that the ranking doesn't reflect that sentiment.
O'Neal himself called the ranking "criminal," and Thompson soon chimed in with his own critical take.
On his Instagram Stories, Thompson shared a quote from former NBA player Etan Thomas calling out the "disrespect" on Bryant and captioned it with, "SMH" — short for "shaking my head," a clear sign of disapproval.
In another post, the Mavericks sharpshooter — who also landed on the list at No. 98 — posted a video of Bryant's highlight reels from his earlier years in the NBA, noting, "And this is just Fro-be # 8 ... [Expletive] is wrong with yall."
Klay Thompson can't believe the disrespect on Kobe Bryant, who landed No. 11 on Bleacher Report's latest Top 100 NBA Players of All Time ranking. pic.twitter.com/qJalyMiofU
— Kit Espina (@KeithEspino22) July 15, 2025
Klay Thompson grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant, so it's no surprise that he's disappointed with his low ranking. For Thompson and many Bryant supporters, the Black Mamba should at least be in the top 10 in the conversation for the greatest players of all time.
"Ask anybody who was born around the time I was (in 1990), and he was like our Michael Jordan," Thompson said of Bryant last January, per Mavs.com. "His style of play and his influence on the game on a global scale is something that is probably only second to Michael."
Related: Mavericks Rookie Cooper Flagg Admits Issue With His 31-Point Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
