Thompson Provides Updates, Looks to the Future in Press Conference
To say that Klay Thompson has been through a lot in the last 21 months or so is putting it mildly. He’s suffered through two major injuries, experienced loss and tragedy and tried to navigate a tumultuous world along with everyone else. All of that has never been more clear than at a press conference he gave on Sunday, March 14.
Thompson took questions from the media and provided several noteworthy moments throughout the roughly 17-minute presser. Early on, he discussed his Achilles injury, which has forced him out of playing for the Warriors for the entire 2020-2021 season. He previously missed the entire 2019-2020 season with a torn ACL. He went over the specifics of his current rehabilitation process.
“I got my boot off. I’m walking,” he said. “I’m doing calf raises, I’m in the HydroWorx. I’ve been doing a lot of mobility work, a lot of balance. I’m not running [on solid ground] yet, but I’m running on the treadmill underwater and that’s good for my psyche.”
He expressed optimism that he could be back early in the 2021-2022 season, and possibly on opening night.
As is often the case with long-term injuries, the mental aspect of Thompson’s recovery is just as tough as the physical side, if not tougher.
“It’s way harder than any basketball game I’ve ever had to play, way harder than any conditioning drill at practice,” Thompson said. “The mental toll is not very fun.”
Thompson touched on the ways in which he is trying to take care of his mental health. He has focused on doing activities that do not require athleticism, such as reading, playing chess and watching movies.
One bright spot for Thompson is that he has been able to travel with the team for much of the season, something he did not do a lot last season. This has allowed him to track the team’s development and collective mentality.
“This year has been tough, obviously, with the pandemic and so many new players on the team,” he said. “I love our group, though. I think we have a great group. These guys come to work every day. They’re eager to be great players and we still have so much basketball left to play.”
Throughout the press conference, Thompson repeatedly referred to the team as “we,” demonstrating that he remains a part of the team even though he isn’t playing.
He then focused specifically on James Wiseman, with whom he shares a locker.
“I think James is going to be a perennial All-Star one day,” Thompson said. “He just has physical abilities and talent that you can’t teach.”
The conversation then returned to Thompson’s injury, where he talked about the inspiration and advice he has received from other players who have suffered Achilles injuries. He specifically named Kevin Durant, John Wall, Wesley Matthews, Jonas Jerebko and Dominique Wilkins as examples of players who made strong returns.
He then moved on to a lesser-known story, answering a question about a letter he received from Jeff Bird, a former community college basketball player who is a fan of the style of play that Thompson and the Warriors use, with Bird saying it reminds him of his late former coach’s philosophy.
“To get that email from Jeff and hear how he knows that I make his old coach feel good about watching us play, that made me feel real good,” Thompson said. “When you play at the community college level, you’ve got to love basketball and for a coach to give his time and preach the same values that Coach Kerr did, I thought that was really special.”
The final notable moments came when Thompson reflected on the adversity he’s faced. In 2020 alone, he lost his grandmother, ended a long-term romantic relationship, dealt with the death of Kobe Bryant, navigated a pandemic, participated in calls for social justice and experienced one of the most brutal injuries possible. In spite of all of that, he attempted to stay positive and did so in a direct address to the assembled reporters.
“It was a tough year, guys, not only for me but I’m sure for all of you,” he stated. “I’m looking forward to the future, that’s for sure.”