Klay Thompson recently had a conversation with Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr that changed his entire mindset.
Thompson talked about his discussion with Kerr after the Warriors beat the Orlando Magic last night.
“That helped me relax a lot,” Thompson said. “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 hasn’t played up to his standards this season. He’s averaging only 16.7 points while shooting 42.0% from the field and 37.7% from beyond the arc.
The Warriors are just 16-17. They are in 11th place in the Western Conference standings, but Kerr told Thompson to enjoy the game more instead of being so hard on himself.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Klay Thompson, Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors Updates
“He helped me realize if I do have negative energy how that affects the team in a poor manner,” Thompson said. “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.”
Thompson becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season, and according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN, Thompson’s contract negotiations with the Warriors are weighing on him. It will be interesting to see if Thompson can snap out of his shooting slump and help Golden State get back into the playoff picture.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Klay Thompson, Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors Updates
One of the greatest shooters in NBA history, Thompson has won four championships and made five All-Star teams with the Warriors. He’s one of the best players in Golden State history.
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