Klay Thompson being benched by the Golden State Warriors and subsequently dropping 35 points on the Utah Jazz on Thursday night made for a great story.
It also overshadowed something that occurred one day earlier in Thompson’s disastrous game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Part of the way through the game, Thompson completely ignored Stephen Curry’s attempt to dap him up:
Klay got some nerve 😐 pic.twitter.com/2HA5uFI9rx
— 🅾️🅿️timistic W🅰️rriors Fan 💥 (@30problemz) February 15, 2024
Fans couldn’t help but notice that this came on the heels of a report revealing that the Warriors tried to acquire LeBron James from the Los Angeles Lakers at the NBA Trade Deadline.
Thompson almost certainly would have been sent to L.A. in that proposal.
As a result, fans wondered if maybe Thompson was angry at Curry for not vetoing the move:
“Go dap Bron, bitch ass nigga.” pic.twitter.com/Hm1JD0G7Xp
— Clint Eastside (@blvckcement) February 15, 2024
The theory began to pick up steam as people looked closer and closer at the video:
He deadass looked at him and walked past
— Josh (@HilfigerJosh69) February 15, 2024
No more splash!! Brother… only Splatter … attitude at its best!!
— bongayisfine (@bongayisfine) February 15, 2024
Karl-Anthony Towns’ Valentine’s Day Gift To Jordyn Woods Goes Viral https://t.co/duCWJegBrR
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 15, 2024
After the Jazz win, Thompson spoke out about what it meant to him having been relegated to the bench.
“I thought about Manu Ginobili,” Thompson said. “That guy has four rings and a gold medal, and he came off the bench his whole career. And I don’t think anyone looks down on his Hall of Fame candidacy because he’s one of the greats. I embraced it before tip.”
Thompson also acknowledged he felt better physically as a result of the shift.
Ciara Shares Intimate Valentine’s Day Photos With Russell Wilson: https://t.co/1pvN0LoT6L
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 15, 2024
“Coming off the bench gave me fresh legs, especially on a back-to-back, that was nice to come in with a fresh, clean slate,” he added.
It will be interesting to see how Thompson’s relationship with Curry progresses from here.
Was their awkward encounter during the Clippers game a byproduct of a one-time, frustrating outing? Or is there a rift emerging in their relationship? One way or another, an answer will reveal itself soon enough.
Related: Scottie Pippen’s Reaction To Larsa Pippen, Marcus Jordan Breakup
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
