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Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson called it “surreal” to pass one of his NBA idols on the all-time three-pointers list on Christmas Day.
Thompson now sits fifth, one spot above Reggie Miller, after nailing four long-range jumpers in Dallas’ 105-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I loved Reggie Miller growing up,” the five-time All-Star said, per The Athletic’s Christian Clark. “I watched his film and game-winners my whole life. He’s always inspired me to shoot the ball and be a killer. It’s just surreal. Talk about times I prayed for. I prayed for times like that.”
The connection between Thompson and Miller goes deeper than the former’s admiration for the latter growing up. Clark detailed how Pepperdine solicited the services of Miller in a bid to recruit Thompson to the school. The visit included a ping-pong match between the two, which the Hall of Famer dominated.
“He skunked me 7-0,” Thompson said to Clark. “To see that competitive side of him—I was 17—it was really cool.”
At some point, the shoe is likely to be on the other foot.
Thompson is one of the best pure shooters of his generation and has helped to set a standard in the same way Miller did in his 18 seasons with the Indiana Pacers. For a lot of kids aspiring to play in the NBA, Thompson is the player they’ll look to emulate.
With the 34-year-old, meanwhile, it’s probably a matter of time before he overtakes another legendary sharpshooter. He trails Ray Allen in third by 411 made three, and that’s a gap he should close within the next few seasons as long as he stays healthy.