Klay Thompson gets emotional reflecting on the Warriors’ return to NBA Finals

Klay Thompson was overcome with emotion after the Golden State Warriors won the West.

It has been a long and hard three years for Klay Thompson, but the Golden State Warriors are back in the NBA Finals.

Golden State completed the gentlemen’s sweep of the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 at home on Thursday night, 120-110. Thompson had a game-high 32 points on 12-of-25 shooting, including 8-of-16 from distance. As the best player in a close-out game in front of the home crowd, Thompson was in rare form emotionally. He has overcome so much since the 2019 NBA Finals.

Here is Thompson trying to keep his emotions in check when Turner Sports’ Ernie Johnson asked him about what it means to be back in the finals.

Thompson would later say at the podium he was only beginning to jog this time a year ago after tearing his Achilles tendon.

Klay Thompson was overcome with emotion about getting back to the NBA Finals

Thompson had been at the peak of his powers during the 2019 NBA Playoffs. In the NBA Finals vs. the Toronto Raptors, Thompson tore his ACL, the Warriors’ season ended shortly after that. Almost immediately after recovering from his knee injury, Thompson tore his Achilles. It kept him sidelined for two full seasons, bringing to an end his athletic prime. His career could have ended.

Overcoming two devastating leg injuries is as mentally challenging as it is physical. Thompson was already a lock to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame one day. He could have sailed off into the sunset as Captain Klay, and nobody would have blamed him. However, this is not how he wanted his basketball career to end. Thompson had another series of chapters he wanted to write.

As Golden State awaits the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, Thompson is four wins away from becoming a four-time NBA champion. Though the core of this Warriors team is in its early 30s, what better time than now to get that ring for the pinky? Boston or Miami could be challenging, but the Warriors have been here before.

The hard work has paid off, but there is one more important series left for Golden State to play.