NBA News: Mavericks' Thompson sends strong message ahead of criticism about his level

Klay Thompson‘s debut with the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024-25 NBA preseason was highly anticipated—not only by fans but by Thompson himself. After playing his first minutes in the Mavericks’ loss to the Utah Jazz, Thompson didn’t miss the chance to deliver a message to his doubters.

“Well, it’s really nice when you have great offensive players like Luka (Doncic) and Kai (Kyrie Irving), you don’t feel like you have to shoulder the load as much on that side of the ball. I can kind of get back to guarding like I have in the past.” Thompson said.

“I still want to, you know, get rid of that notion that I’m not the same defender as I once was. I truly believe I am. I’m excited to prove people wrong that I can still guard the elite players in this league,” he stated. The last years Thompson has been constantly questioned about his level and performances, but now he sets clear his objective for this season.

Reflecting on the game against the Jazz, Thompson saw it as a positive step. “I thought it was a good step in the right direction for me. Just challenging the ball-handler and switching onto whoever. I take great pride in guarding. I’m excited to do whatever it takes to help this team,” he assured.

Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks warms up prior to a pre-season game against the Memphis Grizzlies at American Airlines Center on October 7, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.

Thompson was sidelined alongside Irving for the Mavericks’ preseason opener due to “rest”, and both stepped on the court for the game against the Jazz. While they await for Doncic’s return from injury, both players are set to feature in the two remaining preseason games against the Clippers in Los Angeles, and the Milwaukee Bucks in Dallas.

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Thompson was a bundle of nerves before the game

Mavericks fans were thrilled to see the former Golden State Warriors star on the court, but the excitement also extended to Thompson. During the post-game press conference, the shooting guard admitted feeling as nervous as he was during the 2015 NBA Finals.

“I was nervous for like four days. So nervous. I haven’t felt that way since the 2015 Finals, Game 1. It felt so good to just get out there and work those jitters out because it was a new experience. It’s a natural feeling when you’ve been somewhere so long to be somewhere new, in a new environment, and to finally put the uniform on, it felt amazing,” Thompson admitted.

Thompson’s stats vs Jazz

In the 18 minutes Thompson played (he sat out the second half), he recorded 10 points, 3 assists, and knocked down three of his five 3-point attempts.