Klay Thompson Snubs Kevin Durant and Michael Jordan From His All-Time Starting 5

Kevin Durant sparked a heated back-and-forth with his former Warriors teammates. He compared Philadelphia’s new roster to the Golden State team he joined in 2016. A comparison Klay Thompson and Draymond Green both pushed back on.

That tension apparently hasn’t cooled. Thompson got the chance to name his all-time starting five this week, and Durant didn’t make the cut at all.

Appearing on PlaqueBoyMax’s Twitch stream, Thompson revealed his picks position by position: Stephen Curry at point guard, Kobe Bryant at shooting guard, LeBron James at small forward, Tim Duncan at power forward, and Shaquille O’Neal at center. (h/t) NBARetweet

Durant spent three seasons alongside Thompson and Curry in Golden State from 2016 to 2019, helping deliver back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018.

Thompson explained his choice of Kobe Bryant at shooting guard over Jordan.

“I gotta go Kobe at the two,” Thompson said. “I love Mike, but… I grew up watching Kobe. Got to play against him. Eighty-one. Twelve threes. Gold medals. God, I love MJ, but Kobe’s like a carbon copy of Mike, so I’m gonna go Kobe just ‘cause that’s my era.”

Thompson, when asked for his Mount Rushmore of basketball, added Jordan back in alongside Kobe, LeBron and Curry. Jordan earned a spot among Thompson’s four greatest of all time without cracking his starting five. A difference he couldn't resolve on the show.

He explained his center selection by bringing up O’Neal’s physical dominance. Thompson drew a direct contrast to the shooting-and-spacing revolution he and Curry helped popularize a decade later.

“At center, I’m going with Shaq,” Thompson said. “Yeah, I grew up watching Shaq. You know how Steph warped the game as far as spacing? Shaq did the opposite.”

Duncan got the power forward nod on the strength of sustained excellence. Thompson called him the definition of consistency throughout his run with the Spurs.

Curry’s inclusion at point guard required no real explanation. Given that the two spent 13 seasons together in Golden State as the “Splash Brothers,” with four championships between 2015 and 2022.

When it came to his Mount Rushmore, Thompson clarified his selection criteria. He said it was based on what he’d personally witnessed rather than historical reputation.

“I wasn’t allowed to watch Wilt or Larry or Magic or Bill Russell,” Thompson said. “So, like, from my own eyes, it’s those four” - Jordan, Kobe, LeBron and Curry. Born in 1990, Thompson saw the tail end of Jordan’s prime with the Bulls but came of age watching Bryant’s Lakers teams dominate the league.

A List That’s Sparking Its Own Debate

Thompson’s list came the same week he shared an emotional reaction to Russell Westbrook’s retirement. And amid growing trade rumors linking him to a potential return to the Lakers.

As for the list itself, the swap of Durant for LeBron at small forward, and the near-miss on Jordan, are exactly the kind of selections built to spark disagreement. A reminder that even among players who shared a locker room and multiple championships, loyalty and admiration don’t always translate into a spot on the same five.