Within just three days, Klay Thompson passed Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard for fourth on the NBA’s all-time 3-pointers list and eclipsed 17,000 career points, two notable accomplishments for the longtime sharpshooter.
Thompson is aware that Lillard, who’s currently sidelined for the season with an Achilles injury, will return next season to join their tightly contested race to reach the mark held by Hall of Fame guard Ray Allen, who is third in career 3-pointers with 2,973 makes.
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Still, Thompson’s next milestone on his career checklist is to surpass one of the most prolific shooters in NBA history.
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“To be in the history books at No. 4 right now is pretty sweet,“ Thompson said. ”I know Dame will probably get up there eventually, but [it’s special] just to keep climbing that ladder and have a chance to pass Ray one day.
“I’ll never forget when I was a rookie and I put in my Twitter bio that I’m chasing Ray Allen and a lot of the internet people said that was unrealistic for me, so it’s nice to have a chance to pass one of my idols.”
Klay Thompson needs 159 3s to pass Ray Allen for 3rd in NBA history:
“I’ll never forget when I was a rookie, I put in my Twitter bio that I’m chasing Ray Allen & a lot of the internet people said that was unrealistic for me so it’s nice to have a chance to pass one of my idols.” pic.twitter.com/XjvPGb67R0
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) January 18, 2026
Thompson made six 3s each in the Mavericks’ last two wins over the Utah Jazz. He currently has 2,815 triples and needs 159 more to pass Allen.
Barring a significant increase in production from beyond the arc, Thompson would wind up short of Allen’s mark this season based on his average of three 3-pointers per game. At this rate, he would connect on 117 more 3s to end the season with 2,932, with a significant chance to claim the milestone during 2026-27.
After Thursday’s victory, Thompson revealed he met Allen as a rookie on March 14, 2012, when the Golden State Warriors hosted the Boston Celtics. Allen was a member of Boston’s Big Three, featuring Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, who collectively won an NBA title in 2008.
Thompson’s Warriors lost that game, but he had one of his best performances of the season with 26 points and three 3s. Former Warriors assistant coach Darren Erman introduced Thompson to Allen, and the two had a conversation that left him feeling inspired.
“I remember … being so in awe that I got to match up with him that evening because I was only 21 years old,“ Thompson said. ”I just had a great game against a Hall of Fame team, and it was awesome. I just remember Ray giving me advice on routine and commitment. That’s about it, and it was really cool just to have that moment with him.”
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