When Klay Thompson suffered what ended up being a torn ACL during Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the Warriors star was looking to remain in the game.
And it turns out that Warriors general manager Bob Myers had a great story about what was going on behind the scenes after Thompson’s injury.
As the Warriors medical staff and Myers were accompanying Thompson to the locker room, they found out that Thompson had to shoot his free throws if he wanted the option of returning to the game. When Thompson turned to make his way back to the court, Myers had some instructions for Thompson.
The Warriors star didn’t listen … at all.
Myers said:
“In that Klay story, he was in the tunnel. He had just got hurt and walked back. He was in the back room, and somebody ran out — one of the assistant coaches — and says, ‘You can’t go back in the game unless you shoot your free throws. So if you wanna play in this game again, you gotta go out and shoot.’ We didn’t really know what was going on. So we walked back out, and the fans go crazy … So you’re walking back and Klay says, ‘I’m shooting free throws. If I don’t shoot them, I can’t play. I’m shooting free throws.’ So I grab Klay. I said, ‘Listen: Shoot the free throws. Do not run back. Just shoot the free throws and stay there. Just stay at the free-throw (line). Do not run back.’
“He shoots the free throws. He runs back!”
That’s a classic Klay story if I’ve ever heard one.
Of course, the Warriors gave a foul and removed Thompson from the game. That’s when it was learned that he suffered a serious knee injury.
But it shows that Klay really was determined to stay in the game. Like, so determined.
