Klay Thompson is clear: this was the most difficult player to defend in his entire career

Klay Thompson has had to face some of the best players in NBA history during his 13 seasons in the league. The current player of the Dallas Mavericks was especially close to the rivalry with several superstars during his time with the Golden State Warriors, with whom he won four championships.

Looking back, Thompson had no doubts when choosing the player who caused him the most trouble when he had to defend him. LeBron James was the toughest rival for the veteran shooting guard, a choice that makes even more sense considering they faced each other in four consecutive NBA Finals.

Klay Thompson picks LeBron James

Thompson talked about his matchups with James during a Twitch livestream with PlaqueBoyMax. The Mavericks' player especially highlighted the four-time MVP's ability to influence every aspect of the game.

"LeBron [James]. We saw it in four consecutive finals, and I haven't seen anyone control the game as well as he does. He can do everything on the court. He has no weaknesses."

Thompson's response is not particularly surprising. During his time with Golden State, the shooting guard had to face James numerous times, especially during the four consecutive Finals between the Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2015 to 2018.

Golden State won three of those four series, but the most painful defeat came in 2016. The Cavaliers overturned a 3-1 deficit and captured the franchise's first championship in Cleveland's history.

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The four Finals between Thompson and LeBron

"He can do everything on the court"

Thompson's explanation focuses on one of LeBron's great characteristics: his ability to influence a game without solely relying on scoring.

For a defender, facing James means having to simultaneously control his ability to attack the rim, create plays for his teammates, and exploit any physical advantage he finds. That's why Thompson considers he has almost no weaknesses.

The choice also has a personal component. Thompson spent much of his career trying to figure out how to stop James on the biggest stage possible: the NBA Finals.

Although the Warriors managed to win three of those four series, James was able to keep Cleveland in the fight for several years and led one of the greatest comebacks in Finals history.

Klay Thompson's all-time starting five

During the same conversation, Thompson also revealed his all-time starting five, made up of some of the greatest NBA legends.

The selection includes his former teammate Stephen Curry, with whom he formed one of the most successful backcourts in the history of the league, along with LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal.

There is also an interesting detail in Thompson's choice. Although Michael Jordan is not in his starting five, the Mavericks' shooting guard does consider the Chicago Bulls legend as one of the greatest players of all time and includes him in his NBA Mount Rushmore.

Jordan's absence from his starting five does not imply that Thompson questions his legacy. It is simply a personal choice when building a historical lineup.

A career marked by great rivals

Thompson's opinion is particularly relevant due to the level of players he had to defend during his career. The shooting guard was a key piece of the Warriors during one of the most successful periods in recent NBA history and regularly faced some of the great stars of his generation.

Now, in Dallas, Thompson faces a new phase of his career, but his memories of those duels against James remain. And after sharing the court with Curry, facing LeBron in four Finals, and competing against numerous superstars, he is clear about who posed the most challenging defensive task.

For Klay Thompson, no one controlled a game like LeBron James, and no one made him feel that there was no simple answer on defense.