Klay Thompson says the Warriors have a “championship-or-bust” mentality after their 15-2 start to the season.
Thompson has been cleared for full-contact practices and has started to run with his teammates again after missing the past two-plus seasons due to injury. Klay hasn’t played since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, as he tore his ACL that game and tore his Achilles in November 2020. He could return by the end of December.
On Tuesday, Thompson spoke for nearly 20 minutes about his rehab as he builds up his conditioning in his final stages before joining the Warriors. He also said the Warriors are only thinking about a title this season.
“It’s something I expected,” Thompson said. “We are a type of team where it’s ‘championship-or-bust’ and that’s a really cool position to be in. Not a lot of players get to experience that.”
So does he think the Warriors are legit contenders?
“Oh yeah,” Thompson said. “15-2. That’s a great indicator of it. And our defense I think is top-three in the league, as well as our offense. And I’m not even out there yet. Think about that. Really think about that. I’m more motivated than ever, as well. I want a championship so bad. More than anything.”
Thompson said it feels “normal again” to get back on the floor with Steph Curry and Draymond Green and predicted it will be “seamless” when he gets back in game situations. The shooting guard said he’s currently playing four-minute quarters, which he wants to ramp up to five minutes by next week, etc., as he ramps up his conditioning. Thompson also knows he’ll be on a minutes restriction when he comes back.
“I don’t want to come back and be a shell of myself,” Thompson said. “I want to come back like I was the last time I was playing -- that was one of best players in the world.”
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Thompson is also still irked that he wasn’t on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, though he has his sights set on another personal goal: a fourth title.
“I wanted some recognition,” Thompson said. “I didn’t get it. That’s fine. You know how you go out and get recognition? You go win. So, I just want to go win again. I want to go win a fourth ring. Not being able to compete the past two years, I feel like I have a lot of pent-up energy to go out there and prove -- not to anybody else, just myself -- that I’m still one of the best.
“Our core -- we got a two-time MVP, a Finals MVP, DPOY, champions -- we got the core. We got the youth. We got the role players who are showing why we went after them. I just really wanna win a championship again. I want to just -- ah, that’s it.”
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