Klay Thompson’s Return

By: Joey Pizur

During the 2018-2019 NBA season Klay Thompson tore his ACL in his left knee during game 6 of the 2019 NBA finals leaving people stunned.

On January 9, 2021, after missing 941 days, Thompson posted a picture on his Instagram with the caption, “IM SO EXCITED TO SEE YALL DUBNATION! LETS GET IT.” Later that day Klay returned for a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played 20 minutes and scored 17 points.

According to, “He’s back! Klay Thompson Returns to Warriors after 941-day Injury Layoff” by The Guardian, “At one point, Thompson brought the crowd to its feet when he drove around a defender near the three-point line and scored on a jarring one-handed dunk.”

Senior Dalton Powell said, “Klay has been playing alright. Although his shooting percentage isn’t as great as it was before his injury, it still takes time to get back in the rhythm.”

Nick Friedell, a reporter from ESPN, asked the Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, if Klay Thompson will be starting or will be coming off the bench and he said, “I was thinking about that game the other day and I was driving to the airport to go to Indianapolis with Jud Buechler, my teammate,” Kerr said of his former Bulls teammate Jordan. “Michael had come back for the final 16 games for that season and practiced maybe twice and I turned to Jud and said, ‘Jud, what is Phil Jackson going to do? Do you bring him off the bench? Do you start him?’ And Jud goes, ‘Steve. Steve. As a general rule, when you have your own statue outside the stadium, you’re in the starting lineup.’”

Finally, Shane Shuman said, “I am excited especially because he is one of the most beloved players in the league, and is very fun to watch.”