Klay Thompson exited the staff bus and beamed as he strolled again into Chase Center on Tuesday evening, greeted by some 400 cheering Warriors workers who lined up alongside his path to the Dallas locker room to point out their love and appreciation for the previous Golden State star.
Once the ball was tipped a few hours later, Thompson tried to tug off an impromptu shimmy, Stephen Curry-style, as the previous Splash Brothers dueled in several uniforms.
The workers who greeted Thompson sported “Captain Klay” hats, the giveaway for all followers on a celebratory evening remembering his 13 years with the franchise and 4 championships he helped win.
“That was really cool,” Thompson said. “I’m very grateful that the staff gave me that type of love. It was completely surprising, and it positively put a smile on my face. Something I’ll always remember.”
Those white hats crammed Chase Center, the place video highlights of Thompson confirmed in a spot the place he is nonetheless beloved – and at all times will probably be. Curry jogged as much as Thompson, now carrying No. 31, with teammate Kyrie Irving in No. 11, and supplied a fast embrace of their first phrases of the day earlier than Andrew Wiggins additionally hugged his previous teammate.
“Thankfully, we were all able to focus on the game and just hoop and compete,” Curry said. “It was an unreal evening for certain all the best way round.”
Thompson scored 22 factors on 7-for-17 capturing with six 3-pointers however watched Curry shine within the closing moments of Golden State’s 120-117 victory. Thompson high-fived a fan afterward and tossed his white headband into the seats, giving some fortunate patron an surprising memento.
Earlier, after a quick jump-rope routine outdoors the Mavericks’ locker room, Thompson ran out of the tunnel and onto the ground to thunderous applause from Warriors followers with telephones as much as seize the second of Thompson’s return.
“It was a cool moment to feel the energy from the fans,” Thompson said. “Especially all of the chatter that I heard, it was all constructive.”
Curry had thought of addressing the gang earlier than tipoff, however he and Thompson traded a few textual content messages, and so they determined to concentrate on the sport, although coach Steve Kerr knew it will be one thing after they needed to defend one another.
Just 15 seconds into the sport, Curry fouled Thompson, who scored the preliminary two factors within the contest on free throws. He missed his preliminary two subject aim makes an attempt earlier than pulling down a 3-pointer with 1:26 remaining within the opening quarter.
“I’m so surprised they ran a post up for him on the first play,” Curry said. “I blacked out on that one. I wasn’t going to let him rating, and I fouled him. It was a fairly particular evening.”
The Warriors invited all their workers to be a part of the welcoming committee for Thompson, who joined Dallas in July on a three-year, $50 million contract. Thompson, 34, missed greater than 2 1/2 years – your complete 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons – recovering from surgical procedures on his left knee and proper Achilles tendon, coming comeback in January 2022.
“I think what he overcame is almost unprecedented,” Kerr said. “The final couple of years after he returned, he struggled to reconcile all that, shedding these prime seasons. We all noticed that and noticed him wrestle with it emotionally. We noticed him combat to get his recreation again. He helped us win a championship, led the league in 3s two years in the past, and did many superb issues.
“We wished that this had gone endlessly, that Klay would have completed his profession with us, however circumstances at all times dictate these items. In the top, I feel he made the proper selection. I feel he wanted a contemporary begin; I feel he wanted type of a brand new set of environment, and that was obvious final 12 months. He was sad, which was laborious to see as a result of he deserved happiness. At his core, he is a really comfortable particular person.”
Thompson had tried to downplay the magnitude of being again within the Bay Area, contemplating it simply one other recreation in November.
“I hope you all did not consider him,” mentioned Curry, who watched the tribute video from the tunnel to have some house with all of the feelings.
When the house crowd went loopy, jumped to their toes in a heat ovation and tipped these captain hats when he was launched, Thompson grew to become visibly emotional and clearly touched by the tribute. He waved and saluted in a number of instructions.
“I could not think about a greater evening all the best way round,” Curry mentioned.
Golden State held a “Salute Captain Klay” ceremony earlier than tipoff to pay tribute to Thompson’s contributions to the franchise and his custom of cruising throughout the bay to video games. Hereturn once more in February on the Mavs’ second journey to Chase Center.
For Kerr, this second felt far completely different from Thompson’s triumphant return practically three years in the past from the accidents and daunting grind of rehab that the veteran guard thought of among the most difficult days of his life.
“That was a welcome back; we knew there were a lot of good times ahead. In fact, there was a championship six months later,” Kerr said. “This one is clearly extra of a goodbye, the primary time we may have seen him. … It’ll really feel very unusual, however will probably be a distinct vibe, extra of a thanks and a goodbye and the whole lot that you’ve got meant to us.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com