Tag: Mychal Thompson

Former NBA All-Star Mychal Thompson, father of Klay, roots for Michael Thompson at 3M Open

The former NBA champion and father of Klay Thompson pulled for Michael Thompson, no relation at the 3M Open.

The only person happier that Michael Thompson won the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities on Sunday may have been Mychal Thompson, no relation, the Bahamian-born two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and father of NBA All-Star Klay Thompson.

That’s because Mychal, 65, who is a broadcaster for the Lakers and the former No. 1 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, took great pride in Michael’s victory – as if it was his own.

There’s a slight difference in the spelling of their first name, but Mychal Thompson, who tweets from the Twitter handle @champagnenuts, was fully engrossed in Thompson’s exploits this weekend as he shared the 36- and 54-hole lead and made birdie at two of the final three holes to clinch a two-stroke victory, his first since 2003, in Minnesota.

3M Open: Leaderboard | Money list | Best photos | Winner’s bag

The 6-10 former center first tweeted on Friday.

And he kept at it, especially on Sunday.

Mychal Thompson was a former All-American for the Minnesota Gophers (1974-78), so all the more fitting that Michael Thompson would win in Golden Gopher country.

This one may be the best of all…

You can just feel the love in these tweets…

No spoilers.

Next year’s 3M Open pro-am — if there is one — needs to bring these two sporting greats of the same name together otherwise what are we even doing here?

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Members of the Warriors celebrate Father’s Day with social media tributes

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and other members of the Golden State Warriors celebrated Father’s Day with social media tributes.

During the Golden State Warriors’ five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals, the team has been busy on or around Father’s Day. The 2016 edition of Father’s Day will forever be remembered by Warriors fans for Golden State’s loss in the NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a classic game seven bout.

With no basketball on the schedule for Father’s Day in 2020, several members of the Golden State Warriors took to social media to honor dad. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Eric Paschall chimed in on either Twitter or Instagram with a tribute to their father.

Thompson shared a photo of himself standing alongside his father, Mychal and his brother Mychel.

Via @KlayThompson on Twitter:

Golden State’s two-time Most Valuable Player posted a photo of him and his father Dell at the golf course. In the caption, Curry celebrated his father and everything he’s done for him.

Via @StephenCurry30 on Instagram:

To add to the Father’s Day festivities, the Golden State Warriors shared a video of Dell Curry drilling a 40-foot jumper from way beyond the arc in pregame when the Charlotte Hornets were in the Bay Area.

Via @warriors on Twitter:

Ayesha Curry joined in on the Father’s Day celebration with a tribute post to her husband. Ayesha shared a series of photos featuring the Golden State point guard with their three children.

Via @AyeshaCurry on Instagram:

Golden State’s second-round pick wished his dad a happy Father’s Day on Instagram. Paschall posted a photo of him and his father Juan donning Warriors gear together. The Villanova product also celebrated Father’s Day with a message on Twitter.

Via @epaschall on Instagram:

Via @epaschall on Twitter:

To cap off Father’s Day, the Golden State Warriors shared a video celebrating the fathers of Dub Nation.

Via @warriors on Twitter:

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A look back on the careers of Dell Curry and Mychal Thompson

Dell Curry and Mychal Thompson paved the way for their sons Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, respectively.

As two of the best shooters ever, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have molded Hall of Fame worthy careers.

But as top-level hoopers, Curry and Thompson had to learn how to ball somewhere.

They both had two NBA fathers to look up to in Dell Curry and Mychal Thompson, respectively. The two dads made solid careers for themselves, with the elder Curry playing most of his career with the Charlotte Hornets. The elder Thompson, whose prime was in the 1980s, played most of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers.

In celebrating Father’s Day, here is a look back at the careers of Dell Curry and Mychal Thompson.

Dell Curry

The elite jumper is a basketball gene prevalent in the Curry family.

The elder Curry made his career on consistently making jumpers from deep, and his start came with the Utah Jazz. The Jazz drafted Curry at No. 15 overall in the 1986 NBA draft. During his sophomore season, he played with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and by the time his fourth season rolled around, his impact started to be felt.

Curry’s fourth season was the 1989-90 campaign. The season was his second with the Hornets, and he scored 16.0 points per game and shot 35.4% from the 3-point line.

One of Curry’s top performances came during the Hornets’ first game of the 1996-97 season. Charlotte was playing the Toronto Raptors, and Curry led them to a win with a career-high 38 points and six 3-pointers.

As one of the Hornets’ best players ever, Curry had one of his best seasons during the 1993-94 season.

He scored a career-best 16.3 points per game, grabbed 3.2 rebounds a game and shot 40.2% from the 3-point line. Curry was third in scoring on the Hornets that season, right behind Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson. 

Curry ended his career playing for the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors, retiring in 2002. He shot 40.2% from the 3-point line for his career.

Before Kemba Walker came along and surpassed him, Curry was the Hornets’ all-time leading scorer. He currently ranks second on the franchise’s all-time leading scorers list. He also ranks second in the franchise for 3-point field goals, according to Basketball Reference. 

Mychal Thompson

The elder Thompson knew how to work his way around the low and high post.

Thompson was drafted No. 1 overall by the Trail Blazers in the 1978 NBA draft. A big man out of Minnesota, Thompson had a stellar rookie season during the 1978-79 campaign.

According to NBA.com stats, Thompson ranked fourth among rookies in points per game (14.7) and first in rebounds per game (8.3).

Thompson excelled at finding open spaces in the paint for buckets, and he was a solid passer as well. He averaged 2.3 assists per game for his career, and he tallied a career-high 4.8 assists a game during the 1982-83 season. During his career, he scored 13.7 points per game and grabbed 7.4 rebounds a game.

One of the best games of his career came when he showcased his versatile game.

He scored 24 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and dished 11 assists as he led the Trail Blazers to a win over the Denver Nuggets in January 1984. The performance marked one of Thompson’s two career triple-doubles, per Stat Muse. 

During the 1986-87 season, Thompson was traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the league’s titans in the 1980s.

Thompson helped the Lakers win back-to-back titles in 1987 and 1988. He was a key part of the team’s rebounding in the 1988 title season.

That season, Thompson ranked third on the team in rebounds per game behind A.C. Green and Magic Johnson, and he ranked fifth in scoring. After winning those two titles, Thompson played three more seasons with Los Angeles and retired in 1991.

He is still high in the Trail Blazers’ record books, as he is No. 9 on the franchise’s all-time leading scorers list and No. 4 in total rebounds, per Basketball Reference. 

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Klay Thompson will ‘forever cherish’ his childhood meeting with Michael Jordan

During the 1997-98 season, a young Klay Thompson got the chance to meet Michael Jordan and the rest of the Bulls featured in “The Last Dance.”

Like many current players in the NBA, Klay Thompson grew up watching Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls as a child.

In the 1997-98 season, Thompson’s father and former player Mychal took his sons to a Bulls game to see Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. After the game, Thompson and his brother got the chance to meet the five-time Most Valuable Player.

Thompson recalled his memories from meeting Jordan in the tunnel after the game. The Golden State shooting guard said his experience with the six-time champ was “motivating.”

Via @NBA on Twitter:

I don’t remember much from that night. I think the year was 97 or 98. It was one of the last championships that team won together.

I do remember the hype and hysteria that came with the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and company. I remember my dad taking us back, waiting in the tunnel. We were just waiting — we wanted to see Scottie and Michael so bad. I don’t think I said a word. But just the fact I was able to be there and meet the legend himself was so motivating for me. I was able to tell all my friends when I went to school.

I’ll forever cherish that memory, and I can always tell my peers, my future kids, that I was able to meet Michael Jordan in his prime and see the Chicago Bulls and it was truly an honor and something I’ll never forget.

With the debut of ESPN’s “The Last Dance,” more stories about the Jordan era Bulls are bound to follow. Chapters three and four of the 10-part 30 for 30 documentary series covered Rodman, Phil Jackson and Jordan’s first championship. Thompson’s coach Steve Kerr made a brief appearance in the new installments of the documentary.

Episodes five and six of “The Last Dance” are slated to air on ESPN Sunday, May 3.

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Mychal Thompson says Klay is ‘frustrated’ he can’t work out with his teammates during quarantine

According to his father, Klay Thompson is growing “frustrated” he can’t work out with his teammates while in quarantine.

Prior to the NBA season hitting pause, Klay Thompson was progressing through his left knee injury rehab. Although he was ruled out for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, Thompson was checking off boxes on his road to recovery.

In early March, the five-time All-Star participated in non-contact drills in Warriors practice. Thompson joined on-court work with his teammates and went through shooting drills without a brace on his surgically repaired knee. 

Thompson’s rehab was complicated when NBA facilities closed their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to his father, Thompson has grown “frustrated” he can’t work out with his teammates. 

In an interview with Mark Medina of USA Today, Mychal Thompson provided an update on how his son is handling life in quarantine. 

Via Mark Medina of USA Today:

He’s frustrated he can’t work out with his teammates. He just works out on his own like everybody else. He can’t work out with other guys in groups. You have to find a place to shoot on your own and do your own exercises. These guys know what to do. You run your sprints alone and can find an empty gym. Get a key to an empty gym and go shoot. All of these guys have connections to a gym.

On Saturday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported, the NBA will allow teams to reopen their practice facilities in cities and states where local governments have eased stay-at-home orders on May 1. Players will be allowed inside voluntarily for individual work. Larger group activities will still be prohibited, according to Wojnarowski. 

However, Thompson’s reunion with his teammates is still on hold until further notice. According to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Warriors will continue to follow San Francisco’s stay-at-home order and keep their facility closed. 

Before he can cross off more phases of his rehab with his teammates, Thompson will have to wait until the Warriors and San Francisco decide it’s safe to reopen the practice facility. 

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How’s Klay holding up and what’s the …

How’s Klay holding up and what’s the latest on his health? Thompson: “He’s frustrated he can’t work out with his teammates. He just works out on his own like everybody else. He can’t work out with other guys in groups. You have to find a place to shoot on your own and do your own exercises. These guys know what to do. You run your sprints alone and can find an empty gym. Get a key to an empty gym and go shoot. All of these guys have connections to a gym.” Is he fully healthy? Thompson: “I don’t know. He’s walking around fine. Who knows if he’s cleared to play. He has to get that clearance from his doctors and the Warriors. They haven’t talked about that yet.” (Before the NBA suspended the season on March 11, the Warriors had only cleared Thompson for light shooting drills).

Where do you think the NBA goes from …

Where do you think the NBA goes from here? Thompson: “We’re just waiting for the health officials to give us the okay to start conducting business again. Adam Silver and the owners are waiting. The rest of us employees are in the same boat. If we can get started again soon, I’ll accept anything. Empty arenas. I’ll accept five games and going into the playoffs. I’ll accept no games and then go directly into the playoffs. Anything to get back to work.”

You tweeted that if the season doesn’t …

You tweeted that if the season doesn’t resume, the Lakers should be crowned champion … Thompson: “That would never happen, and it shouldn’t happen. You have to play and earn it on the court. I was just being funny. Nobody would accept it. The Lakers wouldn’t accept a trophy like that. Nobody can be handed a trophy. You have to get on the court and earn it. Why would you think that was serious? I don’t care if we were undefeated. You still have to earn it on the court. I was just saying that because the Lakers are the best team in all of sports. There’s no one more deserving than the most prestigious and the most glamorous team. We’re the most accomplished. Maybe we haven’t won as many titles as the Canadians, the Yankees or the Celtics. But the Lakers are the coolest brand of all of sports. So give them the rings just on the fact alone (laughs).”

Mychal Thompson says Klay wants to retire with the Warriors alongside Steph Curry

According to his father Mychal Thompson, Klay wants to retire as a member of the Golden State Warriors alongside Stephen Curry.

In 2009, the Golden State Warriors selected Stephen Curry in the NBA draft, two years later, they added another shooter named Klay Thompson in the lottery. Over the next eight years, the duo of Curry and Thompson formed the iconic duo known as the Splash Brothers.

Accomplishments like All-Star nods, Most Valuable Player trophies, Three-Point Contest champions, All-NBA Teams, All-Defensive Teams and championship banners have all spawned from the tandem of Curry and Thompson.

While the NBA is on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, the parents of the legendary Bay Area basketball pairing linked up on the “Raising Fame” podcast. Mychal and Juli Thompson joined Dell and Sonya Curry on their podcast to talk about the relationship between their sons.

According to the former first overall pick, his son wants to retire as a member of the Golden State Warriors alongside Curry one day.

Klay loves playing with Steph. He respects him so much. He talks about him all the time about how hard he works and how dedicated he is to the game and to his family. He’s said it to me in private, and he loves playing with Steph. He wants to retire as a Warrior, not in another 10 years. He wants to go into the Hall of Fame along with Steph. That’s how close he feels to him and how honored he is to play with him. They’ve formed a special bond.

Via the Raising Fame Podcast:

After leading Golden State to the past five NBA Finals, Curry and Thompson have yet to link up on the court in the 2019-20 season due to injuries. Curry returned from his hand injury to the Warriors for just one game before the NBA went on hiatus due to COVID-19. Thompson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season from the knee injury he suffered in the 2019 Finals.

The Splash Brothers will have to wait for the 2020-21 season to continue to build their Hall of Fame candidacy.

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