The Big Lead

Klay Thompson gives 2022 Warriors championship ring to unsung hero

By Joe Lago

Feb 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) warms up before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images
Feb 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) warms up before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images / John Hefti-Imagn Images
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The Golden State Warriors wouldn't have won a fourth NBA championship in eight years without a healthy Klay Thompson in 2022.

Thompson wouldn't have made his way back from a second devastating leg injury without the expertise of Dr. Richard Ferkel.

RELATED: Klay Thompson says beating Warriors ranks 'up there' among his favorite wins

Ferkel was the surgeon who repaired Thompson's right Achilles, which he tore while playing in a pickup basketball game in Los Angeles in November 2022. Thompson was already making his way back from a torn left ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals.

After injuring his Achilles, Thompson didn't play in an NBA game for another 941 days until he made an emotional return to the Warriors on Jan. 9, 2022. On Tuesday, the former Golden State star and current Dallas Mavericks guard presented Ferkel a 2022 Warriors championship ring after the Mavs' 107-99 defeat to Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The moment was captured on video by The Athletic's Sam Amick, who posted the clip on X.

"Oh my god, this is unbelievable," Ferkel said.

"Without you, I would not have been the second-leading scorer on a championship team," Thompson said. "I can't thank you enough."

In Golden State's dynasty-reviving 2021-22 campaign, Thompson came back to play 32 games in the regular season and averaged 20.4 points in his usual role as Stephen Curry's sidekick. In the Finals upset of the Boston Celtics, Thompson averaged 17.0 points and shot 35.1% on 3-pointers.

Thompson, 35, moved on from the Warriors last offseason after struggling with a demotion to the bench. When Golden State head coach Steve Kerr couldn't guarantee he would regain his starting spot, the five-time All-Star sought "a fresh start" in Dallas.

Doncic's surprising trade to the Lakers guarantees Thompson plenty of minutes as a Mavericks starter. Going into Tuesday's game in L.A., he was averaging 13.8 points per game and shooting 39.5% on 3-pointers, a tad below his career mark of 41.2%.

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