Chasing basketball immortality, the legendary sharpshooter joins forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo in South Beach to surpass former teammates and cement a legacy among the game’s elite icons.
MIAMI, Fla. – In his Miami Heat introductory press conference in late August, Klay Thompson alluded to proving that he can still impact winning, but two-time NBA Champion and father, Mychal Thompson, emphasized that it runs deeper than that.
“Four rings, he’s desperate to get that ring,” he said on 104.3 WQAM radio. “When you get to that five-ring class, that’s a special class. If you can get to that fifth ring, that is such a special club to be in.”
If Thompson were to win a fifth championship ring, it would be legacy-changing. The narrative changes from him being more than just Steph Curry’s “Splash Brother” on the Golden State Warriors. Thompson is already a projected first-ballot Hall of Famer and regarded as one of the greatest shooters of all time.
However, the 36-year-old would have no other choice but to take a seat among the elites. Only 26 other players in league history have won at least five championships, including Michael Jordan (six), Kobe Bryant (five), Magic Johnson (five), Tim Duncan (five), Scottie Pippen (six), Robert Horry (seven), Steve Kerr (five), Dennis Rodman (five), and Bill Russell (11; No. 1 on the all-time list).
Thompson would land ahead of LeBron James and Curry – both currently on four championship rings. A fifth title for the five-time All-Star means he played a pivotal role in ending the Heat’s 13-year championship drought. Thompson would likely have surpassed two-time NBA Champion and Hall of Famer Ray Allen on the all-time three-pointers made list.
It’s a huge opportunity for the two-time All-NBA guard to rediscover himself. Thompson is coming off a career-worst season with the Dallas Mavericks: 11.7 points on 39.3 percent shooting, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 69 games (eight starts). Things took a turn for the worse when the organization decided to shockingly trade superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024-25 season.
It affected Thompson’s play style and production. This summer, he made a financial sacrifice, undergoing a contract buyout to join the Heat and compete for a championship. As Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo need outside shooting around them, Thompson couldn’t have been a better fit.
The Heat are just as desperate to win a championship. Despite coming close a couple of times in the last six years with Jimmy Butler leading the charge, they couldn’t get over the hump. The Heat took drastic measures this summer to revamp the roster with star power and high-quality role players.
As the 2026-27 season approaches and with training camp on the horizon, Thompson is projected to return to a full-time starting role and get open looks as Antetokounmpo and Adebayo draw extra attention from opposing defenses. A fifth championship ring would be an astonishing resume.
Anthony Aguirre covers the Miami Hurricanes and Miami Heat for Roundtable Sports. Contact info for tips/info: [email protected] & 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
