Mychal Thompson Gets Honest About Klay Thompson's Future
Klay Thompson has seen his fair share of injuries in the NBA. At just age 33, he's already experienced an Achilles' tear, and an ACL tear, and won four NBA championships through it all. It's easy to start asking how much time he has left to play in the league - something his father, Mychal Thompson, answered.
In an interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Mychal Thompson opened up about how much longer he wants Klay Thompson to play in the NBA. There were a few players that Thompson compared his son's longevity to, and they were John Stockton and Reggie Miller.
“We talk about it all the time. I say, ‘Look at LeBron [James] as an example.’ LeBron is going to be 39, but he has the body of a 29-year-old because of his workouts and his work ethic. Reggie Miller retired when he was 40. John Stockton, the same thing. There have been a bunch of guys that have played into their late 30s or close to 40 at a high level. Klay can do the same thing because his game translates into maturing well because he's a shooter. Shooters last a lot longer than guys that win dunk contests."
Is there a specific age that Mychal Thompson wants his son to play until? That answer would be the age of 40 years old - it's clear that Mychal believes Klay can do it too.
"It’s up to him. It depends on how much drive and ambition he has. But I told him, ‘Play until you’re 40 because this will be the sweetest life you have in the NBA. So take advantage of it while your body allows you to do it.’ Don’t quit too soon. But you have to put the work in to have that longevity the same way that LeBron and Steph do it. You see how Steph works out? Steph is a great example for all the young guys on how to stay conditioned year round.”
Mychal Thompson isn't wrong. Shooters age very well in the NBA, and if there's one thing that Klay Thompson certainly is, it's a shooter.
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