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Klay Thompson found himself on the sidelines for two consecutive seasons following the 2019 NBA Finals. Although he felt "invincible" before the injuries he suffered, the Warriors star said he takes better care of himself now after realizing how much he loves the game.
Many players are guilty of letting themselves go during injuries. But Thompson, a five-time All-Star, said he realized how important taking care of his body is and has since adopted healthy practices.
On "Point Forward," Golden State Warriors teammate Andre Iguodala sought to understand Thompson's mindset during the injury. When asked what he learned about himself throughout rehab, Thompson said:
"Obviously, I love the game, you know? Because I would tell myself like I got to do something else rather than basketball. I bought a camera, which I still use. I used it for like two weeks at the beginning of the season then I kind of got lazy."
He added:
"And then I always just ended up watching Sports Center watching NBA TV, watching the other play watching my old highlights like I couldn't go a day without it. Even knowing I wasn't gonna play that season."
Thompson continued:
"So, my love for the game never really wavered, and that kind of made me appreciate the little things every day of just going to the facility, just the cold tubs, I mean all the extra stuff that I never did.
"I wasn't the biggest one on the yoga but I started getting into my flexibility and my nutrition kicked up, and my lifestyle just to be as healthy as possible became the most important to me."
The 32-year-old went on to say:
"I'm not gonna lie before all this happened, I would eat what I wanted to eat, a glass of wine before games, beers, whatever. Even go out late at times, you know? Late dinners whatever, and recover and be good. I was in my mid-20s and I felt, I hate to say it, but invincible at times."
He concluded:
"But then when you have some things that don't go your way, that's when you learn, that's what I learned the most how much I loved it to be honest."
It was a long road back for Thompson, who did not take the court for over 900 days. However, the wait was worth it as the Warriors' 2021-22 season was a tremendous success, culminating in their fourth title in eight years.
Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors have won four titles in six NBA Finals appearances
Klay Thompson was drafted by the Warriors in 2011 and has played for the franchise ever since. His time with the Warriors has been phenomenal, and the shooting guard has four rings to show for it.
Although the Warriors missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons between 2019 and 2021, they marked their return to the postseason with a title this year. Golden State defeated the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals earlier this year to clinch their seventh championship.
While Klay Thompson returned early enough to participate and help the Warriors in their quest for the title, he was not at his best.
Sitting on the sidelines for as long as he did undoubtedly took a toll. The two-way player was nowhere close to his former self, but his contributions were still valuable.
With their victory over the Celtics, the trio of Draymond Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson picked up their fourth title in eight years.
Guess the Lakers players!
