Klay Thompson admits his negative energy hurt the Warriors

It’s been a tough year for the Golden State Warriors. They went from being a clear-cut NBA championship contender to a playoff hopeful, and that’s not a usual position for them anymore.

Klay Thompson entered the season with a huge chip on his shoulders. That’s usually great news for the Dubs, but not this time. He was pressing with every shot, and his body language made it more than clear that he wasn’t having a good time.

Thompson is a fierce competitor, and he obviously doesn’t like losing. That created a bit of a domino effect and an endless cycle for the four-time NBA champion.

Fortunately, he was finally able to take a deep look in the mirror and realize that’s not who he is. He credited his coach, Steve Kerr, for pulling him aside and helping him get some perspective.

Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors dribbling.

Thompson Wants To Relax

“That helped me relax a lot,” Thompson told The Athletic. “Sometimes I forget just how successful and how lucky I’ve been to be part of a championship team, All-Star games, gold medals. You want to get back to that level so badly you can kind of get in your own way. Rather than forcing it, we had a conversation about enjoying the last chapter of my career, how lucky I truly am to still be playing this game, doing it at a high level, being a better mentor for these young guys, leading by example, having my energy right every game.”

Thompson has been a pivotal part of the Warriors’ success during The Dynasty days, up to the point that they didn’t even make the playoffs in the two years he was out with injuries. But as good as his impact can be, he can also drag the team down with him when he’s pressing:

“He helped me realize if I do have negative energy how that affects the team in a poor manner,” he added. “So we had a great conversation that helped me change my whole mindset and forget about shooting splits or points per game or All-Star games and just to enjoy being in this Warriors uniform and appreciate what we’ve built. Because it’s such a rare opportunity for a professional athlete to be a part of so much success and to pass that torch to the young guys and keep this thing going.”

Kuminga Credits The Vets For Breakout Year

The only silver lining about the veteran’s struggles this season has been Jonathan Kuminga’s breakout. The former lottery pick is finally getting a chance to prove himself, although he still credits his vets for getting him so many easy looks:

Jonathan Kuminga

“We got Steph. We got Klay. Everybody in this league is afraid of those two people,” Kuminga said. “So just knowing how to play with them just opens a lot of things.”

see also

NBA Rumors: Warriors willing to trade Andrew Wiggins

At the end of the day, everybody knows Klay Thompson and what he’s capable of. Contract year or not, he’s always going to draw plenty of defensive attention because he’s one of the greatest shooters of all time. He just needs to stop thinking about that so much.