Can you imagine what it’s like to have played Little League baseball on the same team as Kevin Love and Klay Thompson and then see them facing each other in the NBA Finals two years in a row? There are actually several people we could probably talk to about that.
But it’s true: Love and Thompson were Little League teammates in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Love grew up in Oregon, while Thompson moved there with his family when he was two and spent about the next dozen years there.
Love talked about the coincidence during last year’s NBA Finals:
Kevin Love spoke of his friendship with Klay Thompson growing up. "I have pictures of us playing little league together."
— Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) February 26, 2015
A little #TBT for tonight's #NBAFinals Klay Thompson and Kevin Love playing for Lake Oswego Little League in 2001. pic.twitter.com/Dsv9apfC9w
— Jen Beyrle (@JenBeyrle) June 2, 2016
And what happened when they faced each other in baseball?
Klay Thompson told KNBR 1st time pitching to Kevin Love in Little League tried to brush off plate. "Beaned him right in the left shoulder."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) November 4, 2014
Oh, and in case you can’t figure it out, that giant in the back row is Love, while Klay is in the front left. While basketball became the sport for each of them, it’s worth noting that Love can still hit monstrous home runs, and Thompson’s brother, Trayce, plays for the Dodgers.
