Golden State Warriors’ four-time champ Klay Thompson admits his “four rings” clapback at Devin Booker during a game last season wasn’t his best moment. Thompson was a guest on Paul George’s “PodcastP Show,” where he was asked about the best bar he’s dropped on an opponent during a game.
“I was in my feelings there, Book was busting my ass that day. … We all get insecure at times, I’m not really proud of that one.”
Honesty
Book did bust his ass. The Phoenix Suns All-Star scored 34 points that night to Thompson’s 2.
Still, this was an incredible admission from Thompson.
The jock culture in sports is one where no vulnerabilities are to be shown publicly. You never concede until it’s over. You never admit insecurities.
But Thompson did the opposite and pointed out “we all get insecure at times.”
This is the NBA. The best basketball league in the world. It doesn’t matter if you’re Nikola Jokic or Thanasis Antetokounmpo. You won’t win every one-on-one battle and you won’t lose every one either.
The best of the best get cooked on any given night. Nobody is above getting owned on an NBA court. Such is life with the best players in the world.
The Challenge Of Being An Aging Player
Thompson admitted his game wasn’t where he wanted it earlier in the season last year and he was struggling. If you watched any of the Warriors games you saw it. But he wound up leading the league in three pointers made during the regular season.
That’s what makes Thompson a very good player. The way he responds to adversity and turns situations that look bleak around.
At age 33 and coming off two leg injuries and a lot of playoff miles, this offseason will need to be the best of his career just to maintain the levels he’s been.
That’s the curse of an aging athlete. You’ve got to work even harder just to maintain.
The Warriors added Chris Paul to their roster this offseason, re-signed Draymond Green and are +1400 betting favorites to win the title next season. That’s sixth behind the Nuggets, Celtics, Suns, Bucks, and Heat. But ahead of the Lakers in seventh.
If the Warriors have any shot of being champs again, Thompson will have to be very close to his best.
