Klay Thompson returned to the Bay Area on Tuesday night for the first time since leaving the Golden State Warriors.
Thompson and the Mavericks arrived at the Chase Center in San Francisco for their opening game in the NBA Cup on Tuesday, and Thompson quickly received a massive reception from fans both in the arena and from those waiting outside as he arrived.
The game was dubbed “Salute Captain Klay” night, and fans received a white captain’s hat with a Warriors logo on it in honor of Thompson — who used to take a boat to games when he played for the Warriors. The team played a tribute video ahead of the game, too, and gave Thompson a huge ovation on the court.
Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million deal with the Mavericks this past offseason. That officially ended his incredible run with the Warriors, which produced four championships over an eight-season span. The Warriors selected Thompson with the No. 11 overall pick in 2011 out of Washington State, and he quickly became both a fan favorite in the Bay Area and a critical part of the Warriors’ dynasty alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as other pieces came and went.
Though he said he still cherishes the run he went on at Golden State to kick off his career in the league, Thompson is simply focused on putting it behind him for now.
“That chapter is over,” Thompson told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears on Sunday. “I’m in the midst of trying to win here. There is no point in missing anything when we have such a great opportunity here to be great. There’s no point in looking back … I got to look forward. I got to try to give my best self here.”
Thompson averaged 17.9 points per game last season at Golden State, which was his worst output in more than a decade. He shot worse than 40% from behind the arc for just the second time in his career, too. Thompson left the Warriors ranked sixth in total points scored in team history, fourth in games played and second to Stephen Curry in made 3-pointers. He also holds the NBA record with 14 made 3-pointers in a single game, which he set with the Warriors in 2018.
The 34-year-old entered Tuesday’s game averaging 13.8 points and 3.7 rebounds with 2.9 made 3-pointers per game so far this season in Dallas. The Mavericks were 5-5 entering Tuesday.
While players don’t always get a warm reception on their first few trips back to their old arenas, Thompson clearly is still in a good place with the Warriors’ fan base.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Sunday, via Spears. “I think we all are. It will be very emotional. I know our fans are geared up for it and can’t wait to see Klay.”
