Klay Thompson calls Warriors-Lakers ‘dream come true,’ jokes he’s unsure whom dad will root for
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Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the third quarter in Game 7 of the Western Conference first-round playoffs against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on April 30, 2023, in Sacramento, Calif.
After a hard-fought battle for Northern California supremacy that went the distance, the next task for the Golden State Warriors is to get things done in Southern California against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaking after the 120-100 Game 7 win against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, Klay Thompson spoke highly of his upcoming opponents, and said that this matchup is one he’s wanted for the entirety of his career.
“We’re all excited to play the Lakers,” Thompson said. “I mean, it’s a legendary franchise. Warriors-Lakers, it’s been a long time since they’ve seen each other in the playoffs.” (The teams last played a playoff series in 1991, a year after Thompson was born.) “I know I’m personally excited to play in front of my father, my mother, some of my best friends and go down to SoCal after our homestand. It’s just a dream come true, I’ve waited for this for 12 years.”
Thompson was born in Los Angeles and was a longtime Lakers fan as his dad, Mychal Thompson, played for that franchise from 1987 to 1991, winning two championships along the way. Mychal Thompson has become a franchise fixture, working as the color analyst for the team’s radio broadcasts since 2003.
This brought up the question of who Thompson’s dad would be rooting for in this series.
“I really don’t know,” Thompson said. “I’d probably guess his employer.”
Thompson and company start yet another blockbuster series against a LeBron James-led team on Tuesday night at the Chase Center.
“I’m really excited to try to stick it to the team I grew up rooting for,” Thompson said.