The Bahamas have proved in recent years that they have a strong and ambitious basketball program, as earlier this year they won the Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Argentina. This accomplishment was led by three NBA athletes, and is attracting other stars in the league who share this Caribbean descent.
We are talking about Golden State guard Klay Thompson, one of the best sharpshooter in the NBA, who has recently expressed his desire to be a part of the Bahamas national team. The player announced that the possibility is real as he hopes to contribute to the race into the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“When that time comes, I will give it serious consideration just because of what The Bahamas meant to the Thompson family, especially my father”, he said recently during a marketing trip for his shoe brand ANTA in the Philippines.
Klay Thompson wore the Bahamian flag after the Warriors won the NBA Finals 🇧🇸
His dad Mychal Thompson is from the Bahamas, and Klay often visits Nassau to visit his father’s side of the family. pic.twitter.com/pHjV9p9PLk
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) June 17, 2022
It seems that his father, Mychal Thompson, is very much connected to his Bahamian heritage and is giving Klay the option of pursuing this dream of playing for the Caribbean nation. Mychal was a former NBA player who was selected as a No. 1 overall pick in the 70s.
“My father never had a chance to play for the Bahamas because they just didn’t have the chance to do so back in the 70’s and the 80’s”, Thompson shared. “Now my brother Mychel is coaching with them which is also a really nice thing. Now, I’m focused only on the upcoming NBA season but when that time comes next summer, I’ll consider the possibility”.
The Warriors star has already worn the Team USA badge on his chest before, as he was part of the squad that brought home gold from the 2016 Olympics and the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
“ … I was lucky enough to play in the FIBA World Cup. That time I played in 2014, and being able to win it was such an amazing experience. I think that catapulted me to another confidence level that allowed me to be a star in this league because I played so well in Spain at that time, and now to see Steve Kerr here coaching the team,” he said.
Thompson gave praise to the current USA squad as he believes they have what it takes to conquer the title in Asia
The All-Star player has been watching the U.S. men’s basketball roster compete in the current World Cup in Manila, Philippines, and has given his impressions after seeing them win their first three group-stage matches.
“ … They don’t care who’s leading the team in scoring, rebounding and steals. All that matters is the main goal, and that’s beautiful to see because, in the NBA or whatever professional league in the world, it might not be as unified. There’s a lot of pride and all, but it’s just different when you’re competing country to country, and it unites the world in a sense,” the Golden State guard expressed.
Thompson was shown mostly excited by the fact that this roster truly reflects the future of the NBA, with some of the brightest upcoming superstars in the league.
“They have some of the best young players in the NBA. Steve’s doing a great job, and the great thing about when you watch Team USA is the guys put their egos aside,” he expressed.
