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Klay Thompson breaks silence on Warriors exit with emotional farewell

Paul6 months ago05 mins

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson may have moved down south, but his heart will always be in the Bay. The four-time champion left the Golden State Warriors this offseason after 13 years, ending one of the best runs with one club in NBA history.

Thompson posted a heartfelt goodbye message on Friday, via Instagram.

“Oh Bay Area, there are not enough words and images to convey how I really feel about yall,” the “Splash Brother” said. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for the best times of my life. It was such an honor to put that Dubs jersey on from day 1. I really just wanted to be the best I could be and help bring as many championships as possible to the region.

Although Thompson helped steer the ship during the team’s dynasty, that wasn’t his favorite aspect of the experience.

“The best part was not the rings though, it was the friendships I made that will last a lifetime,” he continued. “My family and I would like to thank all of the amazing people who work tirelessly to make the @warriors organization world-class. Don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened. Until we meet again. Sea captain out #foureverchamps #splashbros4life #oaklandforever.”

The 34-year-old’s vulnerability may even touch the hearts of non-Warriors fans, as the basketball world watched him and Steph Curry develop into the greatest backcourt in league history.

Just how special was their time together?

What Curry and Thompson did with the Warriors may never happen again

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11), guard Stephen Curry (30) and forward Draymond Green (23) after the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Chase Center.

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Curry and Thompson ushered in a new era for NBA basketball. While three-point shooting had been prevalent since the turn of the century, Golden State’s duo took it to new heights, forcing the league to adjust accordingly. Curry now leads the all-time list in three-point field goals, while Thompson ranks sixth. There are no other starting duos anywhere close to their rankings.

The “Splash Brothers” nickname was coined by Warriors.com writer Brian Witt in 2012, via the team’s X account.

“Halftime: Warriors 58 – Bobcats 49. @StephenCurry30 & Klay Thompson are a combined 7-of-11 from 3 point range #SplashBrothers,” Witt said.

Witt’s catchy nickname was rooted in Oakland sports lore, via Sporting News’ Kyle Irving.

“Part of the reason it stuck so fast – aside from Curry and Thompson’s wet shooting strokes — was because it was a perfect play on words from another famous Oakland-based duo, the ‘Bash Brothers,’” Irving explained. “The “Bash Brothers” were the Oakland Athletics’ sluggers, Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, who bashed a bunch of home runs during their tenure as teammates, even bringing a championship to the city in 1989.”

While the Athletics haven’t made the Bay Area proud recently, the Warriors dynasty will go down in history for how they revolutionized the game of basketball.

Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor for ClutchPoints, covering the MLB, NFL, and NBA