Warriors' Klay Thompson Wants to Play for Team USA in 2020 Tokyo Olympics If Healthy
Warriors star Klay Thompson wants in on 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo–if he's healthy. Thompson shared his verbal commitment to reporters before the kickoff event at his charity golf tournament.
“I would love to play [for] Team USA,” Thompson said. “That is the plan. I would love to be on the Olympic team.”
Thompson won't be able to embark on that endeavor unless his torn ACL is fully healed. The five-time NBA All-Star underwent successful surgery to repair the tear in July and is expected to miss nine to 10 months recovering from the injury.
Thompson joins a list of early Olympic hopefuls that includes teammates Stephen Curry–who was one of the first players to pledge his commitment after Team USA's poor performance at the FIBA World Cup in China – and Draymond Green. Thompson, Curry and Green have won three NBA championships together and now want to chase Olympic gold. Trail Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard and Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell have already voiced their desire to play for the team next summer.
After a flurry of stars pulled out of the recent FIBA World Cup, Team USA finished in seventh place, which marked the program's worst finish in history. In light of the disappointing showing, the focus quickly shifted to the Tokyo Olympics and just how Team USA, a perennial powerhouse on the international basketball scene, would bounce back.
Eight countries—including the United States—have qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The remaining four teams will earn berths during qualifying tournaments in July.
Thompson agreed to a five-year, $190 million deal to stay with the Warriors this summer, despite suffering his torn ACL after a hard foul late in the third quarter during a Game 6 Finals contest against the Raptors. Thompson averaged 21.5 points per game in 2018-19 while shooting 46.7% from the field and 40.2% from three.
