Qualified for the Olympic qualifying tournament, after winning a pre-TQO in Argentina with Deandre Ayton, Eric Gordon and Buddy Hield as leaders, the Bahamian are no longer so far from participating in their first Olympic Games. To put the odds on their side, they could also record the reinforcement of several interesting elements within a year.
So, in addition to the Mobley brothers, Evan and Isaiah, as well as Naz Raid, it could be that… Klay Thompson will soon defend the colors of the Bahamian selection. It must be said that his father Mychal was born in Nassau, the capital, which makes him eligible to one day represent the Bahamas.
Currently present in the Philippines, Klay Thompson has rightly expressed himself on this possibility of playing, in the long term, for the Bahamas and he remains measured on this for the moment.
” When the time comes, I will give it serious consideration given what the Bahamas has meant to the Thompson family, and especially to my father. », entrusts thus the rear of the Warriors, visiting Manila with his teammate Kevon Looney. ” He never had the chance to play for the national team, because it was not possible in the 1970s-80s. Now my brother is also in the coaching staff, which is cool. Right now, I’m really focused on the NBA season, but when the time comes next summer, I’ll seriously think about it. »
The FIBA derogation as an obstacle to overcome…
Still, to hope to represent the Bahamas, Klay Thompson will first have to obtain a waiver because, like Eric Gordon, he has already played for the United States in the past. Winning two gold medals, at the 2014 World Cup and then at the 2016 Olympics.
But seven years after his last appearance in the American selection, and if Team USA agrees to release him, the quadruple NBA champion seems ready to make the pride of another country, incidentally on the rise in terms of basketball…
” I couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve accomplished over the past few weeks, especially Chris DeMarco [un assistant de… Golden State, ndlr]Buddy Hield, Deandre Ayton, Eric Gordon and all the rest of the squad “, he rejoices about it. ” These guys got the biggest victories in the history of our country by beating Argentina twice, which is not easy because they are one of the best teams in the world, and it will have incredible effects for the country. »
To observe Klay Thompson one day in the jersey of the Bahamas, it will nevertheless be necessary for FIBA to judge that his change of sporting nationality contributes to the “development of basketball” in the country, a criterion required to benefit from an exemption in this case. But, as the Bahamians qualified for the TQO without the fivefold All-Star, we can think that they do not necessarily need additional reinforcements to beat big nations and this could therefore block everything…
| Klay Thompson | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2011-12 | GOS | 66 | 24 | 44.3 | 41.4 | 86.8 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 12.5 |
| 2012-13 | GOS | 82 | 36 | 42.2 | 40.1 | 84.1 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 16.6 |
| 2013-14 | GOS | 81 | 35 | 44.4 | 41.7 | 79.5 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 18.4 |
| 2014-15 | GOS | 77 | 32 | 46.3 | 43.9 | 87.9 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 21.7 |
| 2015-16 | GOS | 80 | 33 | 47.0 | 42.5 | 87.3 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 22.1 |
| 2016-17 | GOS | 78 | 34 | 46.8 | 41.4 | 85.3 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 22.3 |
| 2017-18 | GOS | 73 | 34 | 48.8 | 44.0 | 83.7 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 20.0 |
| 2018-19 | GOS | 78 | 34 | 46.7 | 40.2 | 81.6 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 21.5 |
| 2021-22 | GOS | 32 | 29 | 42.9 | 38.5 | 90.2 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 20.4 |
| 2022-23 | GOS | 69 | 33 | 43.6 | 41.2 | 87.9 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 21.9 |
| Total | 716 | 33 | 45.5 | 41.6 | 85.2 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 19.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
