Klay Thompson’s choice to depart the Warriors to conform to signal with the Dallas Mavericks stings deep for everybody invested.
Within the minority, nevertheless, is Klay’s father Mychal. The older Thompson is emotional like Steph Curry, Dub Nation and NBA followers all over the place, however not as a result of Klay left Golden State. As an alternative, Mychal is upset as a result of Klay didn’t agree to hitch the Los Angeles Lakers for his subsequent chapter.
Mychal, a former Laker, joined NBA Radio’s Frank Isola and Brian Scalabrine Tuesday on “The Beginning Lineup” and defined why he isn’t all too thrilled about Klay spurning Los Angeles to type a star-studded trio with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving in Dallas.
“Maintain your congratulations, Frank and Scal,” Mychal mentioned. “I am not feeling an excessive amount of in a congratulatory temper proper now. Clearly, it is Klay’s choice, it is his life, he is a grown man at 34 years of age. We have been 34 at one time and our fathers would give us recommendation and we’d select our personal path. And that is advantageous, that is what life is meant to be about, however I am actually disillusioned.
“I hoped, as you possibly can assess, that he can be a Laker. It was shut, it got here all the way down to the Lakers and the Mavs, however the Mavs gained out. However me, I hoped and praying he would end his profession with the Lakers.”
“I am not feeling an excessive amount of in a congratulatory temper.”
Mychal Thompson had hopes that his son, Klay Thompson, would be a part of the Lakers.@champagnennuts | @TheFrankIsola | @Scalabrine pic.twitter.com/8TH9bV3Ktw
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 2, 2024
Mychal’s “disappointment” comes from his wealthy ties to the Lakers franchise.
He performed with Los Angeles for the final 5 seasons of his 14-year NBA profession and was a two-time NBA champion with the “Showtime” Lakers. At the moment, he serves as a Lakers radio host.
Mychal has nothing however good issues to say in regards to the Lakers — he’s in all probability the minority about that, too — and tried exhausting to persuade Klay to daybreak the Purple and Gold in the course of the 2024-25 NBA season.
“When he advised me that the Lakers have been speaking to him, or going to speak to him, and the Mavs too, clearly I attempted to promote taking part in for the Lakers,” Mychal added. “That is the best factor for me to do and the right factor for me to do.
“And I felt prefer it was the proper factor for me to do as a result of I actually consider on this franchise. The franchise has been so good to me and my household, together with Klay.”
It’s nice that Mychal is proud to be related to the Lakers. However as he talked about, this whole decision-making course of was Klay’s, and Klay’s solely.
And when it got here all the way down to it, the legendary Golden State guard felt Dallas greatest suited his wants for the long run over Los Angeles.
Mychal believes he’ll finally recover from his son’s free-agent choice. Nonetheless, he couldn’t assist however reminisce about Klay in his youth and when the Thompson household strictly was in regards to the Metropolis of Angels.
“He grew up a Lakers fan, [and] he grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant like most children his age, so I simply thought it gave the impression to be the proper match for him to return again dwelling,” Mychal mentioned. “We had all the time talked about him taking part in for the Lakers if he was not a Golden State Warrior. After all, being a fan of Kobe, he would have liked to have performed for the Lakers.
“However he had an opportunity, and when the possibility got here, he selected the Mavericks as an alternative. I will reside with it, I settle for it and I am completely satisfied for him that he is completely satisfied along with his choice, however in fact, I attempted to promote him on the Lakers.”
Whereas evaluating Klay’s departure, Warriors followers doubtless are completely satisfied that he refused to be a Laker — and that has to rely for one thing.
Mychal, in the meantime, shall be bummed out for fairly some time that his son selected to not comply with his father’s footsteps to Hollywood.
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