SAN FRANCISCO – At 4:19 p.m., Klay Thompson walked into the Chase Center together with his teammates and about ran 400 Warriors employees Form a tunnel and placed on captain's hats.
Thompson had downplayed the importance of the night, saying his first game against the team with which he spent the primary 13 years of his profession was just one other game. But at that moment it hit him as cameras shot into his face. He put his hands together as an indication of gratitude.
“To be the guy that hangs four banners and does it in a way that captures the hearts of the fans,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said before the sport. “With Klay it's not just about the skills, it's not just the commitment to the organization, the desire to compete. He just has something, an aura, that immediately connected our fans with him. That's what it takes. It’s pretty rare for someone to do all that and have the impact that Klay had.”
About three hours later, the actual celebrations began.
A sellout crowd at Chase Center, all wearing white captain's hats, erupted in an uproar when the Warriors' announcer declared Thompson was returning. After 45 seconds they saluted with their caps Video montage plays and ends with a “Thanks, Klay” message. Both the players and coaches from the Warriors and Mavericks craned their necks to look at the tribute.
When it ended, Thompson, the four-time champion and Bay Area legend, felt the love. Warriors fans gave a loud standing ovation for a minimum of a minute.
Thompson, never one to cover his feelings, took a moment to himself within the back corner of the Chase Center court. He folded his hands above his head to thank the gang and threw a left-handed punch.
Steph Curry had planned to take the microphone and address the gang, but he and Thompson talked about it Monday night and concluded it wouldn't be mandatory.
Thompson has been at the middle of several emotional nights in Warriors history. Perhaps most memorable is his return to the sector in 2022 after being sidelined for 941 days as a consequence of injury.
“It was a welcome back,” Kerr said. “We knew there were a lot of good times ahead. In fact, there was a championship six months later. This is obviously more of a farewell. The first time we saw him… It's going to feel very strange, but it's going to be a different vibe, I think. More like a thank you and a goodbye.”
Andre Iguodala, Festus Ezeli and Zaza Pachulia were amongst Thompson's former teammates who were there to say goodbye. They were a few of greater than 18,000 people within the constructing who showered Thompson with gratitude.
Thompson left the Warriors in the summertime for a fresh start with the Mavericks, who won the West title last 12 months. Although he performed well for the Warriors after coming back from career-threatening injuries – helping them win the 2022 title and leading the league in 3s the next 12 months – Thompson was not the identical player he was before his hamstring and Cruciate ligament injuries and needed to cope with it mentally.
Kerr said several times last season that he was scuffling with his basketball mortality. The Warriors benched him for an prolonged period last 12 months and didn't guarantee him a starting spot if he desired to return.
“What he has overcome is almost unprecedented,” Kerr said. “It was devastating for him to have to miss two years in the prime of his career. I think in the last few years after his return he had a hard time balancing it all. I'm losing this peak season. We've all seen that. We saw him struggle emotionally. We saw him struggle to get his game back.”
“We wish this would be over forever and Klay would finish his career with us,” Kerr added. “But circumstances always dictate these things. Ultimately I think he made the right choice. I think he needed a fresh start. I think he needed a new environment. That was obvious last year. He wasn't happy, and that was hard to see. Because he deserves to be happy. “He’s a very happy person at heart, so it was hard to see him dealing with the consequences of these injuries.”
He seemed genuinely blissful on the reception. He got what everyone wanted.
Then, on the primary possession of the sport, he went straight at Curry within the midpost and caused two foul throws. Moments later, Curry hit a 3-pointer against Thompson's late tackle. Green then shot a corner 3 over his former teammate. Keep playing.
Originally published:
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