Klay Thompson Is Learning To Love Basketball Again

After a few rough seasons with the Warriors, Thompson is realizing why he plays this game again

Sep 30, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) poses for a photo during the 2024 Dallas Mavericks media day. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

It was a rough few years for Klay Thompson after missing two straight seasons with an ACL tear and an Achilles injury. As his athleticism deteriorated, his role within the Golden State Warriors was diminishing, and he wasn't getting the same respect from the organization as other players, at least in his mind.

Despite his decline, Thompson still averaged 17.9 PPG while shooting 38.7% from three-point range. For a player in his 13th NBA season after sustaining multiple severe injuries, that's impressive. With a move to the Dallas Mavericks, though, Thompson has learned to love the game again.

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"The last two years were so tough for me, ‘cause like, you try to measure yourself to what you were, and like, all the accomplishments and all that, and I let so much other crap get into my head, and I forgot why I really play this game," Thompson said in a video with basketball YouTuber Tristan Jass. "Yeah, ‘cause I love it, you know? I’m trying to measure myself to everyone else’s standard. I didn’t realize how big a waste of energy that is, man. You’ve seen it in the comments. You’re gonna get people like, sometimes, they’re writing foul stuff, and don’t ever let that stop you from what you do, bro. Yeah, I feel like that impeded what I was great at last year... At the end of the day, I look back like, bro, I still play a phenomenal brand of ball. Like, you 18 a game, 39% from three. I’m not gonna let someone tell me that’s not great. You would’ve told me that as an 18-year-old, I’d be like, ‘Hell yeah!’”

Thompson was a five-time All-Star and four-time champion with the Warriors, and it can be hard on players to realize they're not who they once were. Now that he's in a situation that cares about its culture and has openly embraced a previously cast-off star in Kyrie Irving, they're confident the same can happen for Thompson.

With two elite ball-handlers like Irving and Luka Doncic, pairing them with one of the all-time great sharpshooters should make Dallas' offense impossible to guard. Thompson comes from a heavy motion-based offense and will now be playing with two ball-dominant guards, so there may be an adjustment period. But with talent like this, which can be argued as the deepest team the Mavericks have ever had, they're bound to figure it out.

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