Kyrie Irving Makes Statement on Klay Thompson's Return Game vs. Warriors

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson returns to face the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

After getting drafted 11th overall in 2011, Klay Thompson spent 13 years becoming a franchise legend with the Golden State Warriors. Five All-Star appearances and four NBA titles later, Thompson left the Warriors in the 2024 offseason, but is set to return home to the Bay Area for the first time as an opponent.

The Warriors host Thompson's new squad, the Dallas Mavericks, on Tuesday in a battle of two of the top Western Conference squads, but with no storyline as significant as Klay's return.

Thompson left star teammates Steph Curry and Draymond Green to join the likes of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in Dallas. Irving gave his insight on what it will be like for Klay to return to Golden State for the first time, as a star who had to play his former team for the first time on three separate occasions.

“The biggest thing is just the human aspect of emotions. It’s just gonna be haywire, man. You don’t know how to really feel because you’ve been in a routine with another team for a long period of time." Irving continues, "Outside of that, I think it's about having fun. Being able to look some of your old fans in the face and tell them thank you, and they thank you in their own way too."

Kyrie Irving on the experience of playing your former team for the first time, which Klay Thompson will experience on Tuesday:

“The biggest thing is just the human aspect of emotions. It’s just gonna be haywire, man. You don’t know how to really feel because you’ve been in a… pic.twitter.com/1m4S9Dljgi

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) November 11, 2024

Irving not only brought up his personal experience in these situations, but he also provided Klay with some advice ahead of Tuesday's big matchup.

"I just told Klay that we have his back, and just reiterating that 'it's just another game on our road trip, but we know how much it means to you and we're going to have to bring our emotions up there too to be able to be where you are, so enjoy yourself.'"

Irving, the former Cavalier, Celtic, and Net, has some good experience playing against his former squads, but this is something Thompson has never had to endure after playing for one franchise for 13 years.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Thompson has not had the ideal start to his Mavericks campaign, averaging 13.8 points per game on career-low 41.8/35.4 shooting splits. Regardless, Tuesday's matchup is much more than "another game" for Klay as he makes his return to Chase Center, looking to show out against his former team.

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