Inside The Warriors

Jason Kidd Reveals Story of Kyrie Irving Recruiting Klay Thompson to Mavericks

Kyrie Irving helped recruit Klay Thompson from the Golden State Warriors to the Dallas Mavericks

Joey Linn

Jan 29, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) dribbles the ball against Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the second quarter at the Chase Center.
Jan 29, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) dribbles the ball against Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the second quarter at the Chase Center. / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
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When it became clear that Klay Thompson would leave the Golden State Warriors, many felt the Los Angeles Lakers would be the frontrunner to land him. From Los Angeles, Thompson's father Mychal Thompson won two championships with the Lakers.

Ultimately choosing the Dallas Mavericks, Thompson was reportedly recruited heavily by Kyrie Irving.

During a recent episode of NBC Sports Bay Area's "Dubs Talk" show, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd revealed Irving's involvement in recruiting Thomson.

“When you talk about the recruitment, it was a lot of people that were involved in that," Kidd said. "But one of the biggest players in that was [Irving]. [Irving] being able to, player to player, (detail) his experience of what Dallas has been like for him in two years and being able to tell Klay the honest truth of what he thinks can happen with Klay coming to Dallas.”

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving
Apr 2, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots a layup against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center. / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Kidd added, "I would love to say it was all me, but it wasn't. It was a team effort. But I think player-to-player – in this league, they all talk about their situations, and they all recruit one another – this was about [Irving] and Klay being able to talk."

With four titles, Thompson brings championship experience to a Mavericks team that expects to compete for one. Irving defeated Thompson and the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, so he also has championship experience.

Thompson is not the player he was during those championship runs, but is still an elite shooter who projects to fit will offensively next to Irving and Luka Doncic.

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Joey Linn

JOEY LINN

Title: Credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation Email: joeylinn52@gmail.com Education: Communication Studies degree from Biola University Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: NBA analysis and reporting Experience: Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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