SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 20: Klay Thompson cradles the Larry O'Brien Championship trophy in the Golden State Warriors' Championship Parade on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2022. The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics to win their fourth NBA Championship in eight years. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
This may not have been the way it was supposed to end for Klay Thompson and the Warriors but his poignant goodbye on social media after 13 unforgettable years with the team helped make things better.
Thompson, on his way to Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal that will be announced soon, delivered a touching message to the Warriors and their fans on his Instagram page on Thursday.
“Oh Bay Area, there are not enough words and images to convey how I really feel about y’all,” wrote Thompson, who helped deliver four NBA titles to the Bay Area. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for the best times of my life. … The best part was not the rings though, it was the friendships I made that will last a lifetime.”
There will soon be an announcement about Thompson officially signing a three-year, $50 million contract to play in Dallas. What may be left unsaid are the priceless moments he and the Warriors and their fans shared during his career here.
We’ll miss more than merely a four-time champion, five-time All-Star and a “Splash Brother.” Those four championships were just the culmination of a wonderfully wild ride that Thompson made sure to share with the fans – some of which are included in the photos and videos included in Klay’s post. From his dog Rocco, to his postgame paper airplane tosses, to the “sea captain” persona he took on while sharing his boat ride escapes on social media, there’s plenty about the playful Klay we’ll miss.
As Thompson departs, he leaves behind many memories and a legacy that will live forever. If Klay leaving causes fans too much sadness, they’ll just have to listen to what their captain said on Instagram:
“Don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened. Until we meet again. Sea captain out.”
Originally published at Jon Becker