The Big Lead

Steph Curry, Klay Thompson share different views on Klay's Bay Area return

By Joe Lago

Nov 1, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) exchanges high fives with guard Klay Thompson (11) before the start of the game against the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Nov 1, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) exchanges high fives with guard Klay Thompson (11) before the start of the game against the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
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Tuesday will be an emotional day for the Golden State Warriors and their fans. Warriors legend Klay Thompson will return to the Bay Area to face his former team for the first time when his Dallas Mavericks take on Golden State at Chase Center in San Francisco.

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The Warriors will honor Thompson with a celebration of his 13 years at Golden State. And they'll commemorate their "Salute to Captain Klay" event by giving fans replicas of the seafaring hat that the five-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion made popular with his live-streamed boat rides on San Francisco Bay.

Thompson's former Splash Brother, Stephen Curry, knows it will be a night of mixed feelings.

"We've had homecomings before, but nothing like this," Curry told The Athletic's Anthony Slater.

"He deserves the celebration and the welcome that he's gonna get. And it will be a great opportunity to reflect on the great memories we had. ... However it plays out, I just hope he feels the love because he deserves it."

Not surprisingly, Thompson is keeping his feelings in check. On Sunday, he told reporters after the Mavericks' 122-120 road loss to the Denver Nuggets that he's not making too much out of his Bay Area return.

"It'll be good to see people you grinded with obviously, but to me, it's just another regular-season game in November," said Thompson, who sought a change of scenery last offseason after being demoted to the Golden State bench in a turbulent 2023-24 campaign.

Thompson was asked if it would be difficult to not get emotional. "No, I don't think so. I've been doing this a long time. Basketball is basketball," he replied.

Last month, Thompson was a little less guarded about facing the Warriors. He told Rachel Nichols that it would "probably be a little weird at first" but he'll be fine "when the competitive juices start flowing."

Draymond Green is already on record about how he will greet Thompson. "I'm running through his chest," the fiery Green said on the "Sloane Knows" podcast.

Thompson told Nichols that he's OK with Green getting physical. "I'll take two free throws, and I'm a pretty tough guy. So I think I can handle it," he said.

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