Steve Kerr is in Las Vegas for the start of the United States team training camp. He met up with Stephen Curry, his leader at the Warriors, and he has in his hands one of the best teams in history with LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum and Kawhi Leonard… But at the end of the first training session, Kerr commented on the departure of Klay Thompsonwhose arrival at the Mavericks has been made official.
“What he’s done for the team, for the organization, for the Bay Area, for me personally – the relationship that we’ve had, all the incredible success, but more importantly, experiencing it all together, it’s been so meaningful and so incredible,” Kerr reactedwho coached Thompson for 10 years. “We will miss Klay. We wish him the best. These things rarely go the way you want them to… We hoped it would, but it didn’t. We wish Klay well, but we love him and we will miss him.”
An amazing ability to get back up
For the Warriors and United States coach, it was the idea of being the sixth man that pushed Thompson to leave. However, Kerr only saw the change as a way to help him. “It’s really my job as a coach to help him… That’s what’s been the hardest for Klay, dealing with injuries and the aftermath. Two years in a row with career-threatening injuries. Before that, Klay… He didn’t need a lot of guidance. The last two years, he’s needed it because it’s been really tough on him. I’m amazed by his ability to come back from those injuries, help us win another title and play at the level that he’s at.”
Kerr believes his “Splash Brother” made the right choice, and he never imagined his “Big Three” would play together until the end.
“It makes sense to him, deep down, to change pace, to change location… It’s about leaving California and playing for a different team. That’s what works best for him. I never fantasized that this team was going to go on for another five or six years and Steph, Klay and Dray were going to retire together and I was going to retire with them. … I never thought about it. I’ve been around the league for a long time, whether it’s been in Chicago or other situations. It’s never easy, when those things start to wear thin.”
Thompson to have statue at Chase Center
In the end, what matters most are the memories and friendships made in Oakland and then San Francisco, and Thompson will remain a franchise legend.
“But most importantly, relationships last. Memories last. Klay will one day have his statue outside Chase Center, he will be loved by his teammates, his coaches and our fans forever. And yeah, it’s never easy. But I think we’ll all be okay.”
