It’s no secret that Klay Thompson has been struggling this season playing his 11th campaign in Golden State, but he’s improved his form in recent games. According to the shooting guard, his coach Steve Kerr has played an essential role in helping him recover his elite mentality and proving himself on the NBA courts.
After the Warriors beat the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night, the 33-year-old revealed a conversation with his coach that changed his entire mindset.
Klay admitted that this discussion helped him deliver the winner against Orlando. “That helped me relax a lot,” Thompson said. “Sometimes I forget just how successful and how lucky I’ve been to be part of a championship team, All-Star games, gold medals.”
Pretty revealing Klay Thompson postgame soundbite about a conversation he had with Steve Kerr yesterday regarding the need to improve his negative energy, be a better mentor and enjoy the last chapter of his career rather than obsess over stats/performance pic.twitter.com/a9wIxhnkGh
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 3, 2024
“You want to get back to that level so badly you can kind of get in your own way. Rather than forcing it, we had a conversation about enjoying the last chapter of my career, how lucky I truly am to still be playing this game, doing it at a high level, being a better mentor for these young guys, leading by example, having my energy right every game,” he explained.
Up to this point, Klay has been averaging only 16.7 points per match while shooting 42% from field goal attempts, as well as 37.7% from beyond the three-point line. Even for Thompson, who is considered one of the best all-time shooters in the league, these are low standards.
“He helped me realize if I do have negative energy how that affects the team in a poor manner,” the player said Tuesday night. “So we had a great conversation that helped me change my whole mindset and forget about shooting splits or points per game or All-Star games and just to enjoy being in this Warriors uniform and appreciate what we’ve built.”
Klay explained why he can’t help but feel grateful. “Because it’s such a rare opportunity for a professional athlete to be a part of so much success and to pass that torch to the young guys and keep this thing going,” he added.
Many reports suggest that Thompson’s contract situation had been affecting his spirit this season
According to Kendra Andrews of ESPN, the guard’s contract negotiations with the Warriors are weighing on him, as his deal in currently running on his last year. The four-time champion explained why he feels thankful, despite what happens at the end of the day.
“I think it’s possible, and if not, life is still great,” the player recognized. “I’m playing basketball in my 13th year in the NBA, so I have no complaints, whatever the future has in store. I’ve done so many great things in this uniform. I know there’s many more memories to create, so whatever happens, life is great.”
According to insider Shams Charania, Golden State offered Klay a contract extension this offseason, but he surprisingly declined it even though he’s in the final year of his contract in San Francisco.
“[Klay’s] future has been in question,” Shams said some weeks ago on the show Run It Back. “I’m told that the Warriors offered a deal, 2 years in the range of $48 million in an extension to Klay Thompson before the season, and now there’s no deal.”
