Nine-hundred and forty-two days later, Klay Thompson will be suiting up for the Warriors again.
Thompson, the five-time All-Star, announced he could be of assistance and make his season debut on Sunday, Jan. 9, against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Chase Center. He hasn’t played an NBA game since tearing his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals — 941 days ago — and tearing his Achilles in the leadup to the 2020-21 season.
Thompson injured his left knee in Game 6 of the NBA Finals while elevating for a dunk in transition. On the night of the 2020 NBA Draft, he tore his left Achilles playing a pickup game.
The nearly three-year rehab process has been physically gruelling and mentally draining for Thompson.
After his unprecedented successive serious injuries, Thompson had to re-learn how to walk. Then jog. Then run. After Golden State’s Nov. 26 game against Portland, Thompson sat on the bench for over 30 minutes, wiping away tears as teammates and coaches alternated consoling him.
Without basketball, Thompson found some solace cruising on the Bay. He’s taken Golden State’s young players, especially second-year center James Wiseman, under his wing. But not being able to contribute pained him (as did a perceived snub on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary list).
Thompson was eventually cleared for contact, and he’s built up endurance for weeks in scrimmages — at first in short bursts. The Warriors have slow-played his rehab to prevent re-injury and ensure Thompson is as close to the pre-injury Thompson as possible.
Teammates have raved about how Thompson has looked in runs recently, particularly after he played with the Warriors’ key players in Denver after GSW’s game got postponed .Now he’s ”more motivated than ever” to help contribute to the Warriors’ championship run.
“I want a championship so bad,” Thompson said in late November. “More than anything.”
Warriors fans and the NBA world have been anxiously waiting for Thompson to return for months. Tickets for Sunday’s game have ballooned as high as $12,000 on Ticketmaster. The ovation will be the loudest and most emotional in the Chase Center’s young history.
It’s likely Thompson will play limited minutes in his debut and afterwards. Golden State’s cautious approach won’t evaporate just because he’s officially cleared. But Thompson wants to show he’s the same dynamic two-way wing he was 941 days ago when he averaged 21.5 points per game and shot over 40% from 3 — a mark he’s hit every season of his 10-year career. “I’m excited to get out there and prove to people who I am,” Thompson told ESPN. “I know they forgot because I’ve been out for two years, but I’ve never been hungrier seeing that stuff. Never been hungrier. And the best way at revenge is to win. Seriously.”