11 breathtaking and legendary Klay Thompson moments from his time with the Warriors
9. Klay creates historically heroic moment
It may not be an enjoyable moment by any means, but there's no genuine NBA fan that will ever forget Klay returning to the floor after tearing his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
In the midst of another defining performance in an elimination game, Klay's 28 points almost single-handedly had the Warriors in front when he was fouled by Danny Green late in the third-quarter. His landing was awkward, bringing an immediate sense of angst and concern among everyone in the building.
After initially making his way down the tunnel and toward the locker room, Klay realised that he would not be able to re-enter the game if he failed to take the free-throws. He turned around, hobbled back to the floor, and returned to a standing ovation. Not only did he drill both free throws for points 29 and 30, but he started to run back on defense before Steve Kerr had to practically order him off the floor. An extraordinary and heroic moment in the history of sport.
10. Klay makes spine-tingling comeback
January 9, 2022 will always be remembered among fans as "Klay day". After 941 days out with the torn ACL followed by a torn achilles, the beloved sharpshooter returned to an emotionally-charged introduction at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Klay would make a running layup on Golden State's first offensive possession, before putting an exclamation mark on his return with a thunderous dunk in the second-quarter. Klay would finish with 17 points, helping the Warriors to a 96-82 victory on a night few will ever forget.
11. Klay completes his redemption
Klay helped lead the Warriors to four championships in his 13-year tenure, with the sweetest surely coming in 2022 when, after he and the team were counted out, they lifted the title against the Boston Celtics.
Of all the extraordinary things Klay did in a Warrior uniform, one of the most underrated performances is the fact that after 941 days out, he led the team in minutes played (792) during the 2022 playoff run. That's a remarkable statistic and a testament to Klay's return that season which ended with the fairytale of more championship glory.