Farewell, Klay Thompson

The 2019 NBA Finals was one characterized by misfortune for the Golden State Warriors. After going back-to-back as champs in 2017 and 2018, it seemed like they were an unstoppable force and, despite a collision course with one of the best defensive teams in the modern era in the Toronto Raptors, the signs were pointing towards a three-peat that would have cemented the continuation of such a dynastic team.

Every Warriors fan remembers where they were when that reality faded in the third quarter of Game 6. In the midst of yet another elimination game heater, Klay Thompson went up with the ball and landed bad after a chasedown attempt from Raptors guard Danny Green. At the time, we didn’t know what it was: All we knew is that, while Klay was up and walking, the injury kept him on the floor for an extended period of time and he had to go back to the locker room to get it checked out.

He didn’t make it far at first, however. If he was going to leave the game without shooting his free throws, that would have assured he couldn’t come back to help the team get across the finish line and on their way to a Game 7. So, without a moment of hesitation at that news, he turned around to get back on the floor, lined up, and knocked down both free throws.

And then he jogged back on defense, ready to keep fighting.

Thompson ultimately didn’t return to Game 6 and soon enough, we knew it was because he had just torn his ACL. In a gesture that defined his toughness and will to win, he defied one of the most damning injuries an athlete can have, to make sure that if there was any outside shot he could get back on that floor, he would be taking it.

The year that followed was, to say the least, an incredibly tough one for the team. The Warriors lost Kevin Durant to free agency in the summer of 2019, and Klay was slated to miss the season while rehabbing his knee. To pile things on, Steph Curry broke his hand only a few games in, and a myriad of injuries to Draymond Green kept him off the floor long enough for Golden State to put up the league’s worst record just a year after their Finals run.

It was an anomaly, of course. Once they were back at full strength with Curry and Thompson, there was little doubt that the core of the team - even without Durant - was able to get back to competing for championships, as they had done before KD’s arrival. The anticipation was short-lived when, just before camp, Thompson endured one of the only things worse than an ACL injury - he tore his Achilles tendon in a workout, putting him out for yet another season. And despite herculean efforts from Steph, the Warriors would ultimately lose a pair of play-in games during the tournament’s inaugural season.

In 2022, the expectations were lower - there were plenty of questions about if Klay would return to form once he was finally back on the floor. The Dubs started out the season hot and never put on the brakes, rattling off an 18-2 record in their first 20 games to ultimately capture another 50-win season, and the West’s 3rd seed. With Curry suffering from shoulder and knee issues throughout the season, Thompson’s return was a welcome sight and a major contributor to how successful the Warriors were ahead of the playoffs: While a lot of the scoring load was shouldered by Jordan Poole in Steph’s absences, it can’t be understated how important Klay even just being on the floor as a shooter was for the team’s success.

The 2022 Playoffs were just as indicative of that, with Klay’s 30+ point performances in elimination games against the Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks supplementing the otherworldly play of Curry to propel the Warriors back to the Finals. He played his role to a tee against the Boston Celtics, securing his 4th championship alongside his fellow Splash Brother and cementing his place as an all-time NBA great - and almost more importantly, one of the most important players in Warriors franchise history - in the process. He proved that he was worth the max contract the team gave him right after that fateful game in 2019.

At the end of his tenure in the Bay, a day most people never thought would come, these are the memories we hold of Klay Thompson. As with any legend, some days weren’t always the best, but there truly is no other player like him both on and off the court. The story of his injury comeback is maybe the most compelling, and will always be a defining time for him, but Klay’s accomplishments have been nothing short of unfathomable.

He owns the record for most three-pointers in a game at 14, done against the Chicago Bulls on their home court. He owns the record for most points in a single quarter after ripping off 37 on 100% from the field against the Sacramento Kings. He scored 43 points on only 4 dribbles against the Knicks, and 60 on only 11 dribbles against the Pacers. And of course, who could forget the legend of Game 6 Klay, when he scored 41 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals to push the Warriors to what ultimately would be a trip to the Finals after a turnaround from OKC’s 3-1 lead, or when he scored 35 against the Houston Rockets in 2018 to lead to yet another victorious series comeback and send his squad towards their 3rd title in 4 years.

On top of his offensive prowess, 11 was arguably the most underrated defender of his time. He only accrued one All-Defensive team appearance, but his play on that end could not be understated as he lined up against the game’s best. It was largely his presence that allowed the smaller point guard he played with to expend energy unfettered on offense and improve at his own pace on defense, making him an irreplaceable cog in a defensive machine that, while anchored by Draymond, he played a huge part in making so consistently successful.

Thompson before the injuries was a spark plug who, when he was hot, was the most unstoppable player in the league… maybe even more-so than his backcourt partner. And even after he came back, an impressive feat in and of itself, he had plenty of games where he got to remind people just who he is and how he still has that spark, being a major contributor to the dynasty era’s 4th title just two seasons ago.

His impact on the court was an incredible one, but his personality off the court was one just as loved by the fans of the team. Thompson once signed a toaster for a fan in March of 2017, prompting a unique rallying item on the Warriors’ way to their first championship with Durant on the team. Of course there’s his infamous boat, which he brought his teammates on constantly as he cruised around the Bay, and even once picked up Draymond so he wouldn’t be late to practice after some backup on the Bay Bridge. And one of his most infamous quotes, a good-natured quip about “not sacrificing s***” when KD first signed with the team (something he certainly held true to, averaging a career-high 22.7 points per game in ‘16-’17). There were plenty of moments in the 2022 championship parade that characterized his easy-going attitude, and any number of anecdotes from his teammates about just how unique of a guy he is.

Klay leaves Golden State as a 5-time All-Star, 2-time All-NBA, and 1-time All-Defensive team member. He led the league in 3s made in the 2022-2023 season, and had so many legendary moments that have earned his number 11 a spot in the rafters when he wraps up his career. While he may be a Dallas Maverick for the next few years, he will always be stamped in the Bay Area for what he did for the dynasty: This team would not have accomplished what they did without him.

Here’s to one of the game’s greatest, with the best of luck wished to him as he moves on to the next chapter of his career. No matter what he does or where he goes, no matter how long it takes for his jersey to be up amongst the franchise’s finest, Klay Thompson is forever a Warrior.

(Photo credit: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)