Klay Thompson is known as a big shooter for everything he’s done over the past decade, helping Stephen Curry lead the Golden State Warriors to the top of the league four times in six trips to the Finals. Klay is trying to keep and improve his level with the Warriors while adding more championships to his resume.
Besides being a great shooter, the shooting guard is well-known for being a terrific defender, and he aspires to become that two-way threat he used to be before his back-to-back season-ending injuries.
While Thompson is getting ready to recover his level, there are some things he’s still trying to get over, and he recently revealed the biggest regret of his career.
Klay Thompson Can’t Get Over Kyrie Irving 2016 NBA Finals Shot
During his appearance on Showtime’s “All the Smoke,” Thompson revealed that the iconic Kyrie Irving shot over Stephen Curry in the 2016 NBA Finals still traumatizes him (58:12).
“That’s the other biggest regret I have in my basketball career besides getting busted for the weed [in 2011 while in college] was switching that pick-and-roll with Steph with JR [Smith] and Kyrie,” Thompson said. “I still can’t bring myself to watch that footage; It’s too uncomfortable.”
Klay explained what he thinks of when he watches that play, as he was supposed to take on Kyrie Irving instead of Stephen Curry.
“You watch yourself and you’re like, ‘I can’t believe I just gave in to that switch, now Kyrie got one [of] the greatest shots in NBA history,'” Thompson added. “Steph’s a great defender too, but I’m just like, ‘Man, I can’t believe I conceded to that switch, it still burns.'”
Klay has become a big deal with the Warriors, winning four championships and becoming one of the best shooters of all time. Still, he feels like that moment will be unforgettable for him, and not for the best reasons.
“You never get over things like that in your career,” Thompson said. “When I look at the footage, I’m like, ‘That was a pretty weak screen by JR, I could’ve gotten through.'”
Those are the moments that define careers. The Warriors suffered that big loss, but they knew how to bounce back, beating the Cavaliers in the next two Finals, losing only one game between the two series. Now, they’re back atop the league, and the Dubs don’t plan to change that anytime soon. As long as they keep winning, it’ll be easier for Klay to get over that situation, but it’s been six years, and he still struggles.
