What Happened to Klay Thompson? The Golden State Warriors Star Is Out

While working out in Southern California, the shooting guard/small forward suffered a tear to his right achilles tendon, an MRI revealed. While the baller is expected to make a full recovery, according to his agent Greg Lawrence, that recovery won’t occur in time for the 2020-2021 season.

The team’s general manager, Bob Myers spoke about the unfortunate accident.

“Klay has a strength of will, but right now it’s a tough day for him. It hurts. He’ll get to a place, I think, where he’s on the road. But right now, like you or I or anybody, this is a tough day for him to hear that news. It’s hard. It’s tough.”

The Golden State Warriors didn’t have the best 2019-2020 season, in fact, they were in dead last in the Western Conference with a record of 15-50.

This led many fans to speculate and accuse the franchise of “tanking,” which is when a team intentionally loses games in order to receive more favorable draft picks come the next season. 

Klay has been with Golden State since he first entered the NBA and is a five-time All Star in addition to being a three-time champion.

He’s established an enviable 41.9 percentage from the 3-point line and averaged 21.5 points a game in the 2018-2019 season. A knee injury in his last finals appearance against the Toronto Raptors in game six, followed by Kevin Durant’s right achilles tendon rupture proved to be the team’s undoing against the relentless Northern squad, headed by Kawhi Leonard.

Many expected the Warriors to secure their seventh overall title, but the Raptors were victorious in six games, ending the Warriors’ hopes for a title run. Although Klay was injured and not expected to play throughout the 2019-2020 season, the team still signed him to a $190 million/five year deal.

He has yet to play under his new contract, however, at just 30 years old, he’s expected to have tons of stellar performances left in him.

Many attributed the team’s woeful last season due to the absence of Steph Curry, who only played five games before succumbing to a broken hand, sidelining the star shooter.

Things were looking up for the Warriors prior to Thompson’s injury; they managed to nab number two pick James Wiseman, and many thought that a reunion of Steph and Thompson, with the addition of an exciting new prospect could make them a serious threat in the west.