Klay Thompson opens up on his experience as free diver
Klay Thompson spent the offseason with his family, visiting countries such as the Bahamas, France and Italy. Thompson enjoyed the Bahamas, as he was able to use his skills as a free diver. He also had the opportunity to swim with reef sharks.
In an interview with Mark Medina of NBA.com, the four-time champ opened up about his first vacation in three years. Thompson decided to spend his summer with his family after a long isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The highlight of his offseason was free diving and swimming with sharks.
"Seeing my family, boating and diving," Thompson said. "The Bahamian waters are the best in the world. It's the clarity in the water, the fish and the ecosystem. I got to swim with some reef sharks. That was super cool."
He continued:
"I dove all the way to the sea floor at 40 feet and had a bottom time of about 30 seconds. As a free diver, I was very impressed with myself, so I gave myself a pat on the back. I feel rejuvenated every time I come home from the Islands."
Klay Thompson deserved a great offseason. The Golden State Warriors star has had some pretty rough summers since 2019. He had to recover from a torn ACL and ruptured Achilles tendon before the pandemic hit.
Thompson has credited the ocean for helping him recover from his injuries. He even uses his boat when going to practice or during game day at the Bay.
"I just think the ocean has healing properties that a pool might not have, or a cool tub," Thompson said during the NBA Finals. "Just to be immersed in nature like that, it really makes me happy. Your whole body feels so great when you get out of that cold water."
In his first season back, Thompson helped the Warriors win their fourth championship since 2015. He finally went through a healthy summer and is looking forward to the new season.
Klay Thompson also visited France and Italy
In addition to the Bahamas, Klay Thompson and his family went to France and Italy in the offseason.
Thompson had a blast visiting landmarks in Italy, such as the Coliseum and Sistine Chapel. He also took in the beauty of the Amalfi Coast in Salerno, where he danced to Michael Jackson's "You Rock My World."
"I got to tour the Coliseum and the Sistine Chapel," Thompson said. "I got to see the Amalfi Coast. It was the trip of a lifetime. ... I also bought a fedora in Rome. Who knew I could transform into Michael Jackson?"
He continued:
"It was one of those days feeling like your hard work paying off. I'll try to have more days like that next summer. But that comes with running this back."
Thompson also had the time to show his support to his brother Trayce, who is an outfielder for the LA Dodgers in the MLB. Klay was present when the Dodgers were eliminated by the San Diego Padres in the playoffs.