Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson took the court last season after 941 days of recovery and prep following a disastrous injury. And he made no secret of the fact that it cost him two years of his prime.
Those who have followed the 32-year-old will also vividly remember him hitting the deck with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Game 6 of the NBA Finals almost three-and-a-half years ago. The double whammy came in when he tore his right Achilles tendon in a pickup game a couple of years ago.
Now, he’s a regular fixture with the Warriors, and the defending champions aren’t looking like their usual self. They are 6-9 and Thompson is going through a rough patch himself.
Ahead of their loss to the Phoenix Suns, the guard, in an interview with ESPN, opened up about the injury and the life after, and by his own admission, the injury dented a good part of his career, especially when he was hitting his peak. When asked what he lost during the injury, he was as candid as he could get.
“Two years of my prime.”
He also added how the injury impacted his daily life, where something basic would be a massive and painful burden.
“I’m so grateful for being healthy now, I’m always in motion,” he says. “I never want to sit around ever again.”
And the comeback, safe to say, was spectacular and even ended well for Thompson as he ended the season averaging 20.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. In the 10 seasons that he’s suited up for the Warriors, he averages 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
Klay Thompson Is Going Through A Slump In 2022-23
It’s not been a great start to the season for Klay Thompson as he averages 15.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.
A recent stat showed that he has taken more shots than the points he has scored — something that you normally don’t associate with a player of Thompson’s caliber.
Warriors Head coach Steve Kerr had some words of wisdom for his All-Star following the 130-119 loss to the Suns:
https://twitter.com/KerithBurke/status/1593057266827423744
Kerr on Klay: “In some ways right now Klay just has to get out of his own way and free himself up and just play, enjoy the game instead of wrapping himself up in every single shot.” Kerr added Klay’s in a good place physically. “He just needs to just relax and go play.”
It’s a long season, and Thompson’s accuracy and efficiency will surely see a rise at some stage, but going by the interview, it appears that he’s happy and grateful to just be playing. And for the Warriors and their fans, that’s good enough news.
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