Klay Thompson jokes about his father’s reaction to his free agency
May 14, 2019; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) stands on the court before the start of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers in game one of the Western conference finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Klay Thompson did not follow his father’s wishes by signing with the Dallas Mavericks in free agency, and he knows it.
Thompson’s father Mychal, a former Los Angeles Lakers player and current radio broadcaster, made it quite clear that he was hoping his son would choose the Lakers once he hit the open market. That obviously didn’t happen, leading Klay to joke about it when he was introduced on Tuesday.
Klay has jokes for his Dad 😆 #OneForDallas | @dallasmavs on @BallySports 📺 pic.twitter.com/z4yIIaz4JS
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) July 9, 2024
“Yeah, my dad was disappointed. I really haven’t talked to him much about it,” Thompson said. “At the end of the day, he was happy for me. He was a little selfish in his business interests because he wanted me to be home with the family. I was like, ‘Dad, I’ve been in California my whole life. I got to experience something new.’
“He understood. He’s actually really excited for me, and he thinks we have a great shot to do something special here, not just this year, but for many years. He was all on board once the dust settled and he realized that it was really a match made in heaven.”
Mychal Thompson probably had some other “business interests” in play, but he was unlikely to stand in his son’s way on this. Plus, despite Klay’s jokes, the potential of playing in Los Angeles may have hurt the Lakers’ case more than it helped it.
