Should we be talking more about Klay Thompson’s concussion?

By Jonathan Bass | May 31, 2015

May 27, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) lays injured during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs. at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Klay Thompson suffered a concussion in Game 5 against the Rockets and was cleared to return to the game; however coverage of it seems muted.

Should we be talking more about Klay Thompson’s concussion? It’s being reported on; however the reports are more in the way of spinning forward – will he play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals? There appears to be very little discussion in the way of him being cleared to return to a game while concussed.

There are several likely reasons for the muted discussion. For one, Thompson’s agent came out immediately following Game 5 and praised the Golden State’s handling of the situation.

"“I have absolutely no problems with how this was handled,” (Bill) Duffy said. “I think Klay was communicated with. There was no pressure whatsoever. It’s absolute that this was handled the right way, with communication between the team and us, so I see no issue whatsoever, or no need for scrutiny. … To me, it’s a non-issue as to how it was handled.”"

Another factor is that the testing and (mis)information regarding Thompson have been all over the map. First he passed an exam by team doctors. Then his father had to drive him home from the game as he vomited along the way. From there he was said to not have suffered a concussion, only “concussion-like symptoms.” Until, after further testing, it was determined that he did, in fact have a concussion. It’s tough to pin down the squirmy narrative of just what happened.

And then there’s the fact that Thompson didn’t actually return to the game. He was cleared to play and was ready to roll before bleeding from his ear prompted another trip to the locker room. Had he actually seen action following the injury perhaps there would be a greater upswell of concern.

And yet there still remains the fact that a guy too woozy to drive home. A player who self-admittedly felt “a little dizzy” after the game, and actually vomited following celebrations, was oh so close to returning to a physical playoff elimination game.

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If something like this happened in the NFL today there would be non-stop debate and furious uproar. Officials would come under fire, doctors’ credentials would be questioned and fines would likely be levied.

Yes, the NFL carries a wider national discussion (it’s the sports world’s cash cow). Football is much more inherently violent, and the league has been facing a CTE epidemic that grows more pronounced each year. However, a head injury is a head injury regardless of the sport. Coupled with the fact that Thompson is considered by some as the best two-guard in basketball, you would think there would be a bit more Monday morning quarterbacking on the issue.

While it’s surely an annoyance to commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA’s top brass whenever the NFL thieves headlines, in this instance perhaps it’s a boon. Flying under the radar isn’t the worst thing when there’s a potential hot-button issue on the table.

For his part, Charles Barkley doesn’t believe we should compare basketball and football concussions. His point being that the occurrence of head injuries in football is much greater. Not that you can differentiate between concussions from the two sports, only that there’s a higher probability for football players.

"Don’t try and compare basketball concussions to football concussions. That’s ridiculous.The doctors cleared him and that’s fine. But these guys on TV trying to compare basketball concussions to football concussions is ridiculous. That is not true.They got a serious issue with concussions in the NFL. Steph Curry is going to get one concussion a season. [Football players] get five a game — small concussions."

Barkley is, understandably, protective of his own game.

In terms of team officials, Golden State coach Steve Kerr has more or less shrugged off the incident. He is, again understandably, focusing on the seven games before him, rather than the one most recently in his rearview mirror. There’s no time to live in the past when you’re aiming for the title.

"“I haven’t even thought about it. The series is like five weeks away. We have plenty of time to think about that.”…“He’s doing well,” Kerr said. “I’m anticipating he’s going to be there.”"

So should we be talking more about Klay Thompson’s concussion and how it was handled in Game 5?

It was the second consecutive game in which a Golden State star suffered a head injury and was tested for a head injury. Steph Curry returned to Game 4 after banging his head against the court; he was cleared by doctors after they determined he had little more than a head contusion. Two years ago Warriors forward Harrison Barnes passed concussion tests following a scary fall, though his coach at the time, Mark Jackson, painted a slightly different picture in his postgame remarks.

"When it came time to call it a night for Barnes, Jackson said he could tell that Barnes “wasn’t feeling right.” “He said he needed a minute,” Jackson told media “but I saw it in his eyes. It wasn’t worth it.”"

But then again, Thompson never returned to the game. He was never put in any position to further harm himself. Beyond that, pegging exactly what is a concussion and when it starts seems to be a most inexact science.

Sportswriters and broadcasters alike revel in dealing with the hypothetical. Rescripting the narrative. This time, however, it looks as though we’re eschewing the “what-if” game and laying out only what’s been presented.

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