Klay Thompson shared a hilarious belief he had about new Dallas Mavericks teammate Max Christie.
Until actually having a chance to interact with Christie, Thompson was under the impression the young guard was the son of former NBA player and current Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie.
Thompson himself is a part of a famous father-son duo, as his father is Mychal Thompson. Mychal was a two-time NBA champion and the first overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft.
“I thought that was Doug Christie’s son for years,” Thompson said. “I clarified that with him and they’re not related. Same measurables, you know, 6-6 off guard, so, I mean…”
Klay thought Max Christie was Kings HC Doug Christie’s son 🤣
He then said he’s been “incredibly impressed” with Max so far in his Mavs tenure 🤝 pic.twitter.com/PXYlce1Qex
— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2025
Thompson Showers Praise On Christie
Apart from explaining the mistaken identity, Thompson had nothing but praise for the 22-year-old guard.
“I’ve been incredibly impressed with Max,” Thompson said. “What a great addition. I’ve had great success with Michigan State guys in my career and he’s just another one. They come in, they know how to defend, they are team players, and he has such a bright future in this league.”
The Michigan State reference was an ode to former teammate Draymond Green. The two combined to win four titles together with the Golden State Warriors, and the comments about being a team player and knowing how to defend are self-explanatory when it comes to Green.
In four games as a Maverick thus far, Christie is averaging 17.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists, and has made 11 of his 19 3-point attempts.
Christie’s jump shooting has also caught Thompson by surprise. As one of the greatest shooters in league history himself, he’s very impressed with the shooting stroke he’s seen thus far.
“I did not, but he has a beautiful jump shot, great arc on the ball, backspin,” Thompson said when asked if he knew how well Christie can shoot the ball. “[You] can’t leave him open, he’s been a pleasant surprise and I’m excited to share the floor with him the rest of the season.”
