Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Klay Thompson isn’t having the NBA season he would have had in mind. The Mavericks went from championship contenders when he signed with them in 2024 to among the many tanking teams in the NBA right now. Despite his averaging 11.9 points on 38.4% from three, he’ll have to make his peace with a second straight season outside the Playoffs.
This lack of competitive basketball since leaving the Golden State Warriors has Thompson itching for a challenge on the court. While he might get that next season, on the Mavericks or somewhere else, he’s also seeking that on the international stage.
Thompson is a one-time Olympic Gold medalist with Team USA for his participation in the 2016 Rio Olympics. While he doesn’t have a chance of representing Team USA on competitive merit anymore, he does have that chance for The Bahamas, where he traces ancestry on his father’s side.
Thompson has tried getting the all-clear to play for the Bahamas, but his history as a Team USA player makes it tough. Nonetheless, he told BasketNews that he believes a Bahamas squad with him on it would’ve had a chance at beating Team USA.
“I mean, we’d have a puncher’s chance, that’s about it. In international basketball, defeating the USA is the biggest accomplishment you can have. Obviously, winning a medal is everything, but it hasn’t been done since 2006. That would be awesome, but it’s incredibly difficult.”
Even though he’s a Team USA alum and they’ve blocked him from switching national teams, it would mean a lot to him to represent the Bahamas before retiring.
“That was. Yeah, understandably so. I mean, being able to win two gold medals with the USA, that was incredible. Some of the best memories of my basketball life, but to be able to do something my father never was able to do would have been awesome as well: representing the Bahamas, especially nowadays with the amount of talent on the roster. It’s incredible, it’s all in your growth.”
The Bahamian national team at the 2026 Olympics could look dangerous with Thompson. 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe would be the team’s star, with teammate Eric Gordon, Hawks shooter Buddy Hield, and Thompson as options around him. The big man on the roster would be Lakers center Deandre Ayton, covering up for what seems to be an undersized lineup.
While this team could be medal contenders, it’s hard to say they can beat Team USA. With shooters like Hield and Thompson, it’s possible they could catch fire and win through a barrage of threes. That’s the puncher’s chance Thompson is referring to, because there is no other logical scenario where they could execute a win of this magnitude.
Thompson averaged 11.1 points on 39.0% from three over his Team USA career at the 2014 FIBA World Championship and the 2016 Olympics (12 games). It’ll be cool to see him represent his father’s homeland, but it looks like nothing can happen unless Team USA allows Thompson to make this dream come true. It’s hard to see why they’d do that and empower their opposition, but it remains to be seen if Klay would ever be allowed to don the Bahamas jersey.
