Klay Thompson missed two years with injuries prior to the 2021-22 season, but there’s no doubt that the Warriors shooting guard has managed to bounce back well. His shooting ability is obviously still present, and though he was a little worse defensively than in his prime, Klay Thompson still showed that he is an elite player post-injury. This season with the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson averaged 20.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 2.8 APG while shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc.
During the summer, we often see players partake in basketball runs and pickup games. For example, Klay Thompson’s teammate, Draymond Green, was previously spotted at the Rico Hines runs. However, Klay Thompson has not partaken in those types of runs, and it was also revealed that he wouldn’t be playing in any of the Warriors’ preseason games.
Recently, Klay Thompson explained why he hasn’t played in any pickup games during the summer. He pointed to an incident where he was healthy last summer, and ended up hurting his Achilles, which in turn led to a “mental block”.
I didn’t play a lot this summer. It was hard, especially with what I went through the last summer. I was healthy. Popped my Achilles… mentally it was hard…It’s like a mental block, I’m gonna face it one day but this season is so taxing, just coming back.
It is easy to see why Klay Thompson ended up avoiding playing a lot of pickup games this summer. There’s obviously no need for him to risk his body, especially in a low-stakes game during the offseason. Hopefully, though, we will see him play some games in that setting in the future when he’s more comfortable.
The Golden State Warriors Look Ready To Repeat Next Season
The Golden State Warriors should certainly be viewed as the favorite for the 2023 championship as of right now. They triumphed over the Boston Celtics to win the 2022 championship, and the talent level on the roster suggests that they could win another one next year barring injuries to key players.
Klay Thompson, being a year removed from his Achilles injury, definitely bodes well for the Golden State Warriors’ chances at the championship. They will need him to be a productive two-way player for them, and hopefully, we will see Thompson have an elite year and get back to being an All-Star in the future.
