Watch: Fans show support to Klay Thompson as he gets emotional after Golden State Warriors' recent game
Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson had an emotional moment after the team's 118-103 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. The sharpshooting guard, who is nearing his return after a two-year absence, sat courtside for an extended period after the match, looking visibly upset about not being able to play. Fans made sure they had his back and started chanting his name:
"THOMPSON THOMPSON THOMPSON!"
“THOMPSON THOMPSON THOMPSON!” 🗣🗣
The crowd while Klay stayed on the bench after the game https://t.co/ZKFpFHFh8v
That gesture put a smile on Klay Thompson's face, who has worked hard for the last two years to make his return to action. He is very close to making his comeback after a successful rehabilitation process over the last few months. Reports say he could be back just before Christmas.
Klay Thompson last played in the NBA during the 2019 finals series between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors. He sustained an ACL injury that ruled him out for the 2019-20 season. Thompson was all set to make a comeback in the 2020-21 season, but he endured an Achilles injury just before the start of that campaign that saw him miss another season.
Thompson participated in full-team practice for the first time since tearing his Achilles in November 2020, about a week ago. Being so close to a return was something that made him really emotional after the Blazers' game.
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sympathize with Golden State Warriors teammate Klay Thompson
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were asked about Klay Thompson's feelings after he got emotional after the game against the Trail Blazers. Both showed sympathy for their fellow teammate and emphasized that his love for the game was one of the biggest reasons he was upset about being sidelined for so long.
"Away from the game for so long, and it shows how much this game matters to him...It's going to hit him at times, we gotta be there to support him and continue to speak positively about what he has accomplished. This is his journey and nobody can speak to what he's been through." said Stephen Curry. (via 95.7 The Game)
“Super proud of just the way he’s approached this two-year window… It shows how much this game matters to him.”
Steph Curry on Klay Thompson https://t.co/3wc7pjNyAM
Green also added some valuable insights. Here's what he had to say:
"He's had these days from time to time, and I understand it as far as I can understand without going through it. I don't know many people who love basketball the way Klay loves basketball, that loves competing the way he loves competing. I always talk about our dominoes games. He even loved doing that, and he's severely outmatched. So, just a competitor. One of the biggest competitors I've ever been around in my life."
The Golden State Warriors, meanwhile, are back to being at their very best. They have been playing the way they did when they made five consecutive NBA finals appearances between 2015 and 2019. The Warriors are 17-2 for the season and lead the NBA in multiple stat categories. They are the team to beat right now and are looking like the favorites to go all the way, owing to their scintillating start to the campaign.
It is a huge achievement for the team to have recorded a successful start in the absence of Klay Thompson. They failed to make the playoffs without him last year.
Many predicted that the Dubs would find it difficult to perform at a high level in his absence initially this year. However, they have shut their critics up in some style and are only expected to get better once the All-Star guard returns.