It has been a different type of season for NBA Champion guard Klay Thompson. Off the court, he made waves this past summer when we found out about him and Megan Thee Stallion dating. There’s already some silly animus that men have about that. On top of that, Thompson has had a challenging start to the season on the court. He is playing in his third season since returning from a two-year stint where he was recovering from two catastrophic lower leg injuries. These included a ruptured Achilles tendon and a torn ACL from the 2019 NBA Finals. Thompson’s return to the NBA and a subsequent fourth NBA championship win have already punctuated his Hall of Fame status.
But this season, it seems with Thompson’s slow start, it’s been made easier for some players to clown him for it. The most noted of these names is Ja Morant. Yes, that Ja, the only Ja, the one who rides the pine, even though his talent doesn’t warrant it. He made news recently from the bench, calling Thompson a bum. Rightfully, Thompson, a four-time champion, took exception and gave him a piece of his mind. Now, if you’ve been following my work, you know that I haven’t bit my lip in my criticism of Morant. As much as I didn’t think I would have to write about him again this season, he has conducted himself in a way that I do.
The two biggest knocks on Morant’s career have been his availability and his maturity. In this instance, both were on display for the world to see. He is in street clothe,s arrogantly accosting Thompson. The irony in all of this is that Thompson has played 218 games across the last three seasons compared to Morant’s 120. Even with Thompson’s injuries, he’s been more available for his teams than Morant. Hell, Thompson has already won a whole championship since his return to play. So, what would possess someone like Morant to poke the bear? Well, he was bigging up Cam Spencer, a second-year player on the Grizzlies. But he did so at the expense of belittling one of the most respected players in the league.
Rarified air
As one half of the “Splash Brothers,” Thompson’s star rose not only because of his prolific prowess from the three-point line, but also because he played lock-down perimeter defense. Two-way players don’t just grow on trees. Thompson could put the ball on the floor when he had to, could pull up from three, or could stay in the space and hit an open look. He would guard the opposing team’s best offensive player night in and night out. He could do all of this while still maintaining the ability to score 37 points in a quarter. Yes, that really happened. So, seeing all of this in motion elicited respect from players and fans alike.
The line in the sand
Why are players like Morant or the Heat’s Myron Gardner talking smack from the sidelines? For reference, Gardner was seen calling Thompson trash during a game against the Mavericks. At the end of the game, Heat assistant coach Caron Butler made it a point to make sure Gardner apologized. The rookie forward is currently averaging two points per game on the season. Way to stuff the stat sheet, right?
Back to the lecture at hand, I believe Thompson gets insulted on several levels. For one, unfortunately, because he doesn’t come off as physically imposing, people think that they can test him. It stems, in my opinion, from his disposition — he’s well-mannered, comes from a good home, treats his woman right, and is light-skinned. Yes, ignorant people will give you a demerit for honoring your woman. They’ll test you if you aren’t flashy either. You can be damned if you do and damned if you don’t in this world. Plus, it just hasn’t been the usual efficient season for Thompson, so all of these microaggressions are now at play.
The issue is this: Throughout Thompson’s career, the one thing we never had to question was his character and his love of the game. Has he had a moment or two of indiscretion? Sure. Did he suppose that LeBron James had his “feelings hurt” while in the battle that was the 2016 NBA Finals? Yes. Did James spank the Warriors in part in response to that? Yes again. But we never had to question the person Thompson has been in totality. He has been nothing short of dedicated to the game and his organizations. As for who he has been off the court, he certainly doesn’t try to be something that he isn’t. He likes to fish. We’ve seen how Morant enjoys filling his time. Between the two, we see why Thompson has been available for more games.
Showing up matters
What Thompson has built with the NBA fanbase, especially those in the Bay Area is equity. Even for myself, who was always team James during their Warriors battles, he has always had my respect. It’s sort of like heels in pro-wrestling. If you’re a great heel, the fans have no choice but to love and appreciate you after you’ve given so many years of service.
You saw Kobe Bryant’s retirement tour right? Well, as fans, especially in this current climate, we love the players who play. We love players who don’t have us questioning their nightly efforts. Thompson is one of those who epitomize love for the game. It’s for that reason why, as great a player as Morant is, his star is fading, and Thompson’s shine remains effervescent.