"If you can't be yelled at by Draymond, you probably can't play for the Warriors" - Klay Thompson gives candid explanation of Draymond Green's role with Golden State Warriors
On Warriors' media day, Klay Thompson was asked about Draymond Green's intensity as a teammate. Draymond is the type of teammate who gives tough love to help his teammates become better, especially rookies and young guns who are playing for the Golden State Warriors.
We can clearly see Klay Thompson chuckle a bit when asked about his teammate. Apparently, Green occasionally expresses tough love to the veterans of the team as well. While some may perceive it as a scary situation, Klay and the rest of the Warriors think otherwise.Thompson said:
"Draymond is our vocal leader. He's like an extension of our coaching staff. Draymond is great at giving out tough love. We all know that it comes from a great place coz we all want to win so badly. If you can't be yelled at by Draymond, you probably can't play for the Warriors."
Klay Thompson hilariously made it clear that anyone cannot just sign up for the Warriors, and he might be right. The Warriors have Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, who have won a total of four championships together. So you have to be special if you're given the chance to play with these three.
"If you can't be yelled at by Draymond, you probably can't play for the Warriors." 😂 https://t.co/wrenqUf8sB
Klay Thompson's success with the Golden State Warriors
It's no secret that Klay Thompson has been huge part of the Golden State Warriors' recent success. Drafted back in 2011, Thompson was already a dead-eye shooter from downtown. Combined with Steph Curry's equally impressive shooting prowess, the NBA and Oakland knew that something special was about to happen.
Draymond Green was drafted a season after Klay, which then completed the legendary trio we know today. Building on their first championship season, the three superstars became better every year. The Splash Bros. are the main reason why the 3-point shot has become more popular today. It's no easy feat to influence and impact the game like these two.
While Steph may be the face of the team, Klay has shown he is right up there many times. One good example is Thompson's unforgettable 37 points in one quarter in 2015. Besides this ridiculous feat, it was also the year he first became an All-Star and won the NBA title. Klay had an unbelievable season that year.
Thompson has since continued to play at an elite level, which led to him winning a couple of more titles before he got injured. Some believe that the Warriors could've done a three-peat in 2019 if Klay hadn't hurt his knee. Somehow this theory makes sense.
Besides LeBron James dethroning the Warriors in 2016, for the most part, Golden State has won every championship with Klay on the team. During his two-season absence, the Warriors struggled to secure a spot in the playoffs. Steph Curry may have been putting up MVP numbers, but it became clear that Golden State needed Klay.
Klay made his most awaited return last season and immediately put the work in. The Warriors finally made a playoff comeback, eventually winning it all. A lot of credit goes to Steph and the rest of the crew. However, one can't deny that the Warriors aren't the same without Klay Thompson.