Golden State Warriors’ veteran Klay Thompson had a standout performance after being demoted to the bench, scoring team-high 35 points against the Utah Jazz.
Thompson’s unexpected move to the bench marked a significant shift in his career trajectory, as the seasoned shooting guard grappled with diminished playing time and a reduced role in the team’s closing lineups under head coach Steve Kerr.
Despite initial challenges and frustrations, Thompson approached the situation with maturity and a positive mindset, viewing it as an opportunity to rise to the occasion and make a meaningful impact for his team.
In a post-game interview, Thompson candidly shared his perspective on the decision, acknowledging the need to set aside personal ego and prioritize the team’s success above all else.
“Found out this morning. Me and Steve had a good talk about it,” Thompson said when asked when he learned he would be coming off the bench. “You can do two things – you can pout or you can go out there and respond. I thought I did the latter very well tonight. Especially no turnovers and missed a few box outs.
“But more importantly I realized I’m going to play a ton of minutes. So you just got to let the ego go when you think of coming off the bench and all that.
“I embraced it before tip. I deserved it, really. I didn’t respond to the not playing at the end of the game well last night,” Thompson continued. “I kind of took it out on the assistant coaches and I apologized to those guys before the game.”
Thompson drew inspiration from San Antonio Spurs and Argentina legend Manu Ginobili. “I thought about Manu Ginobili, that guy has four rings and gold medal and he came off the bench his whole career and I don’t anyone looks down on his Hall of Fame candidacy. He’s one of the greats,” he said.
“I embraced it before tip. I deserved it, really. I didn’t respond to the not playing at the end of the game well last night. I kind of took it out on the assistant coaches and I apologized to those guys before the game. I think that really let my guard down and let me just be myself out there.”
