Klay Thompson is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, and will certainly retire in the top three of most 3-pointers made in NBA history. He still has a few more years in the league before he decides to hang it up, but the four-time champion is already considering his post-NBA career. While talking with Hall of Famer Michael Cooper on the “Showtime” podcast, Thompson shared that he might consider playing for the Big3 once he’s done playing in the NBA.
“Absolutely, especially with that 4-point ball, that gets me excited,” Thompson said. “I just want the Big3 to go international, I think that would be so fun to see the Big3 go overseas and do a little tour.”
Cooper might’ve been doing a little recruiting with Thompson, as he’s the coach of the Miami 305 team, which were just crowned champions of the 2025 season after beating the Chicago Triplets in the championship game on Aug. 24. Cooper hinted that the Big3 playing games outside of the United States may be a possibility down the line, saying “Be careful what you ask for, ’cause we’re moving that way.”
The Big3 has given a lot of former NBA players an extended playing career with its 3-on-3 format. The 4-point shot has become a popular feature of the game, showcasing the pure shooting ability of guys like Michael Beasley, who was named league MVP for the second consecutive time after leading Miami 305 to a title. If Thompson were added to the roster of players, he undoubtedly would lead the league in most 4-point shots made in a season given he’s taken some 30+ footers many times throughout his career.
“Believe it or not, 3-on-3 basketball is played more around the globe than 5-on-5, so the opportunity for growth with the league is incredible,” Thompson said.
Given how interested Thompson seems to be in suiting up for a Big3 team, it sounds like we can expect to see him playing in the league some time in the not-too-distant future. Until then, though, he’s focused on his current situation with the Dallas Mavericks, who landed Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. The Mavericks will add the highly-touted rookie to a team that has a ton of veteran, and championship, experience. Both Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving have won NBA titles — when they were teammates of LeBron James. Irving actually has made four trips to the NBA Finals, however, he will miss at least the first half of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Still, Thompson has high expectations for the Mavericks when Irving returns.
“He’s our leader, it’s going to be tough without him for the first five months of the season,” Thompson said. “But we have such a great, complete roster now, especially getting Cooper Flagg and having the length and frontcourt size that we do. I’m really excited when Kyrie comes back to the lineup that we can be whole again, because we only got to see it for one half last year and I feel like we had a chance to be the best team in the league. The injury bug hit us, but we are all hungry this year.”
