Mavs’ Klay Thompson on season goals: "I don’t think about numbers or accolades" (Exclusive)
Despite admittedly experiencing a learning curve with grasping both a new system and teammates, Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson seemed at peace as he talked about his new surroundings.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Thompson said to Sportskeeda. “I feel great.”
That hardly summarized Thompson’s feelings during his final season with the Golden State Warriors. Then, Thompson barely looked like the player who helped the Warriors win four NBA titles in six finals appearances.
After cementing himself as one of the league’s best shooters, Klay Thompson averaged 17.9 points last season in what marked his lowest scoring average since his third NBA season.
After becoming a valued defender for limiting both perimeter and wing scorers, Thompson struggled to master that job description. After earning the nickname “no maintenance” for his flexibility with shots, minutes and attention, Thompson experienced frustrations for assuming a reserve role for the first time since his rookie season (2011-12).
Thompson hardly resembled the player he was before suffering season-ending injuries to the ACL in his left knee (2019 NBA Finals) and to his right Achilles tendon (before 2020 training camp). That partly explained why the Warriors declined to grant Thompson a max offer. That partly explained why Thompson joined the Mavericks on a three-year, $50 million deal.
Yet, it doesn’t appear the 34-year-old Klay Thompson considers his stop in Dallas as part of his redemption tour.
“My personal goals are to be great and to help this team win,” Thompson told Sportskeeda. “I don’t think about numbers or accolades or anything. I really don’t, especially 14 years in. I had enough of those.”
Thompson rarely fretted publicly about individual statistics during his time with the Warriors (2011-24). In past seasons, though, Thompson openly shared his aspirations to make another All-Star team, land on an All-Defensive team and make the so-called “50-40-90” club.
Not so with Dallas. Instead, Klay Thompson has devoted his focus toward adjusting to a new playbook, schemes and role. He described that process as “equally as fun and taxing, but rewarding.”
“He loves to play. He works extremely hard at his craft,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s done every rep. He wants to be in every rep. He feels like he’s behind in the system. It’s a new system for him. So he wants to be involved in everything.
"For someone that is playing in his 14th season, sometimes coaches have to pivot around that. But he wants to make that adjustment. That just shows what kind of person and what kind of player he is.”
How has Klay Thompson fared so far?
Klay Thompson’s short-term integration hasn’t moved in a linear path.
In his preseason debut, Thompson overcame nerves by scoring 10 points in 18 first-half minutes in last week’s loss to the Utah Jazz. Despite nursing back tightness afterwards, Thompson played in Monday’s loss to the LA Clippers while Luka Dončić (left calf strain) and Kyrie Irving (rest) sat. Thompson went scoreless while missing nine shots from the field and six from 3 in 21 first-half minutes.
“It’s preseason. He’s working his way through with a new group on the defensive end and offensive end,” Kidd said. “So be patient, keep working. He’s going to be ready to work on Wednesday. And it’s really simple. He’s getting looks. As shooters, you make some, you miss some. And so continue to keep working and have a good practice on Wednesday. No concern.”
Instead, Thompson seems more concerned with simply complementing a team that made its first NBA Finals appearance in 14 years.
Klay Thompson described Dončić as “an MVP-caliber player” and Irving as “an All-NBA caliber guy.” Thompson maintained the supporting cast consists of “incredible talent” that “feature versatile players offensively and defensively,” including P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford and Naji Marshall. Thompson touted his teammates’ “hunger” and the organization’s commitment to winning.
Hence, Thompson’s infectious joy during what he called “a new adventure.”
“I’m real blessed to play this game at a high level,” Klay Thompson told Sportskeeda. “It doesn’t matter if it’s in Dallas or in the Bay. I’m jumping in because I see the talent with this team and there’s a chance to do something special.”
Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Sportskeeda.. Follow him on X, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.