Klay Thompson’s return to Chase Center on Tuesday when the Warriors welcome home the franchise icon in their game against the Dallas Mavericks will be full of smiles, tears and a rousing standing ovation. It also will feature a special wrinkle from Golden State that perfectly fits Thompson’s unique persona off the court.
The Warriors quite literally will be tipping their cap to Klay – a captain’s hat to be exact. Thompson’s first game back in the Bay is being called “Salute Captain Klay” for an interactive experience all of Dub Nation can participate in.
Every fan will receive a captain’s hat with the Warriors’ logo in honor of Thompson’s love of the water as he often commuted to home games and practices in his beloved fishing boat.
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During pregame player introductions, Thompson will be announced last in the Mavericks’ starting lineup, and as part of the Warriors’ tribute video that will last about one minute his fellow Splash Brother Steph Curry will be wearing the same cap those in attendance will have, taking his off as an invitation for all 18,000 fans to join in on a salute to the Bay Area’s favorite captain, always and forever.
Curry also will be at center court once the video ends to share his many thanks to his longtime teammate and welcome him back in front of Dub Nation.
“With Klay, it’s not the records or championships or clutch shots that stand out the most from the last 13 years – it’s the truly unique relationship he developed with the Bay Area and our fans,” Warriors President & Chief Operating Officer Brandon Schneider said through a team press release. “He embraced Dub Nation and Dub Nation embraced him back. Warriors fans have laughed, cried, cheered and celebrated alongside him, and it’s only fitting that they get a chance to show their love and salute him in his return to the Bay.”
Talks of how to best honor Thompson have been happening within the Warriors’ brass for months. The decision to incorporate the captain’s hat was a collaboration between the marketing and PR teams, though Kimberly Trinidad, Warriors VP of Marketing & Operations, specifically suggested the hat.
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“We loved everything about this,” Schneider said Friday in a video conference with Warriors beat reporters. “How authentic it is, we think fans will really cherish these hats. It’s going to be a really cool thing in the arena. The tip of the cap in the arena will be incredible, but this is the kind of thing I think fans will have this in their house or their office as this really cool thing that signifies this era and what Klay Thompson has meant to our franchise and to all of us as people.”
Thompson was selected No. 11 overall by the Warriors in the 2011 NBA Draft. Being named First Team All-Rookie was the start to an illustrious career in a Warriors jersey. The four-time champion was named an All-Star five times and twice made the All-NBA team, as well as the 2018-19 All-Defensive team. In his 13-year career with the Warriors where two-plus seasons were taken from leg injuries, Thompson averaged 19.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 45.3 percent overall and 41.3 percent behind the 3-point line.
Heralded as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, Thompson had many unforgettable shooting moments in a Warriors jersey, including making a record 14 3-pointers in one game, having a 37-point quarter on a perfect 13 of 13 from the field and 9 of 9 on threes, as well as his 60-point game in only 29 minutes.
He finished his Warriors career second in franchise history with 2,481 3-pointers and was fourth in 3-point percentage, and currently is sixth on the NBA’s all-time 3-point list with 2,508 and counting.
Known as “Game 6 Klay” as one of his many memorable nicknames, Thompson’s then-NBA playoff record of making 11 3-pointers as part of his 41-point night against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference finals forever will be remembered in franchise and NBA history. Thompson is the Warriors’ all-time leader in playoff minutes and games played, and ranks second in playoff points and 3-pointers, is third in blocked shots and steals, fourth in assists and fifth in rebounds.
The Warriors already announced his No. 11 jersey will be retired at the end of his playing career.
“This might be the most emotional, impactful homecoming that will ever happen,” Schneider said. “Not just for the Warriors, but for anybody, given the history that he’s had.”
Tuesday night’s contest is the Warriors’ first NBA Cup game, and the team is urging fans to arrive early for a 7 p.m. PT tipoff in what should be a night everybody will remember honoring a legend.
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