Klay Thompson’s historic run as Steph Curry’s Splash Brothers partner came to an end this summer when the sharp-shooting guard signed a 3-year, $80M contract with the Dallas Mavericks, who lost to the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Championship.
There’s plenty of optimism coming out of the Dallas area about what the future Hall of Famer will contribute to a team that clearly needs more outside shooting and another reliable scoring option beyond Luka Doncic
There’s also some hate coming Klay’s way. Probably from disgruntled Lakers fans who are mad that Thompson turned down an offer to play with LeBron James and felt Dallas was a more viable destination to win another championship at 34 years old and with a recent injury history that has compromised him as an all-around player.
A video was posted on social media of Klay getting toasted while playing against amateurs at a local gym in California.
Of course, social media made a mountain out of a molehill as it often does, and fans joined in on ripping the four-time NBA champion and future Hall of Famer.
“Klay Thompson getting cooked at a Planet Fitness by Door Dash drivers,” said one X user.
Another said: “Bro is washed sadly”
“Klay Thompson post injuries makes me depressed bro… Mavs really gave this due $80M though,” said another.
“He’s so slow it’s crazy,” said another
The disrespect kept coming. I personally had no idea that a light workout in a gym would influence this kind of negative talk about Thompson.
Especially considering we know he has been riddled with injuries late in his career, isn’t the defensive stopper he once was and was probably going about 50-60 percent in effort.
While Klay just completed another NBA season, the other ballers were clearly trying their absolute hardest to impress one of the greatest players the game has seen.
One NBA fan was at least more honest and rational in their comments concerning the video, saying:
“I hate this for Klay Thompson. He’s one of the best players to ever play the game. Everyone’s time eventually comes, but the fact that people are coming at him like this is ridiculous. Anyone could have a negative highlight tape in summer runs.”
Another offered some insight into the actual pickup game and how Klay fared outside of this framed presentation of his current hoops skills.
“Klay had 45 points in this pickup game 🤣 he only missed 5 shots the entire game. This is a video of the 5 shots he missed. Where are the 18 he made??”
Then another fan gave some perspective about the players Klay was competing against. They weren’t door dash drivers.
“Those guys are pros. I know one if them is Thirdy Ravena. He’s one of the top players in the professional league in the Philippines and China.”
Obviously some of the responses were hyperbole and meant to incite a reaction, but what kind of physical state Thompson is truly in will be determined when the season starts and the Mavs try to make another run to the finals. You ask any of those players and they would tell you the team would rather have Klay than not have him.
Thompson was drafted out of Washington State University by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
In 11 seasons with the Warriors (he missed the 19/20 and 20/21 seasons due to injury) Thompson was named to five All-Star games, and averaged 19.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
He owes nothing more to Golden State Warriors fans and heading into the 2024-25 season the new Big Three in Dallas have odds of about +1000 to win the championship next season, behind the Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, and New York Knicks.
In other words, Vegas doesn’t believe that Luka, Kyrie and Klay can get back to the Finals.
All of this doubt and ridicule should only serve to make Thompson more focused and eager to shoot the lights out.
Only time will tell if he really is washed or the video was much ado about nothing.
