Draymond Green is already fired up about his first NBA clash with former teammate Klay Thompson, as the Golden State Warriors prepare to host the Dallas Mavericks on November 12 at Chase Center. In an interview on the Sloane Knows Podcast, Green made it clear what he plans to do when they face off.
“I’m running through his chest,” Green said, adding that “of course” he plans to trash talk Thompson. He continued, “He’s my brother, but he’s not with us. He’s not with us—he’s with the opps.”
Recently, Thompson responded to Green’s comments during an appearance on the Open Run Podcast, admitting it will be strange at first but that he’ll adjust quickly. “Well, if so, I’ll take two free throws, and I’m a pretty tough guy, so I think I can handle it,” Thompson said.
“It’s probably going to be weird at first, but once the ball tips and I start running around, it’s just going to be basketball again. Luckily, I’ve had great success shooting in that arena, so hopefully, that translates,” Thompson added.
Klay Thompson #11 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors celebrate in the final minute of their victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Reflecting on the upcoming game, Thompson said, “It feels good to be going back with some reinforcements. There will probably be a lot of emotions at first, but once the competitive juices start flowing, I’ll be focused on doing everything to win.”
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Steve Kerr reflects on Thompson’s exit
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr also spoke about Thompson’s departure in an interview with Tim Kawakami on The TK Show. Kerr acknowledged that while there were signs Thompson was ready for a new challenge, the team still hoped he would stay.
“Yeah, there were signs,” Kerr said. “None of us knew exactly what would happen, but we all wanted him to stay. I wanted Klay to be a Warrior for life—it just felt like the right thing. But only Klay knows what’s best for him. By the end of the year, I think he knew he was ready for a new chapter.”
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Kerr expressed his full support for Thompson’s move, saying, “I’m happy for him. I think this is going to be a great move. He’s joining a strong team with two top-tier creators in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, which should open up a lot of looks for him. A career change late in your career can sometimes be exactly what you need to recharge.”
