The Golden State Warriors will welcome back Klay Thompson on Tuesday night, but the franchise legend isn’t feeling the same level of emotion as former head coach Steve Kerr.

Thompson will return to Chase Center for the first time since leaving the Warriors on July 6, when he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. The Warriors will host the Mavericks in the NBA Cup opener and are set to honor Thompson after he helped them win four NBA championships over a 13-year stint.

Kerr expects it to be the most emotional moment he’s experienced since being hired as head coach in 2014, but Thompson is keen to shrug off the nostalgia and not look back. “It’ll be good to see people you grinded with, obviously – but to me, it’s just another regular season game in November,” Thompson told The Athletic.

The five-time NBA All-Star then told Andscape on Sunday: “That chapter is over. I’m in the midst of trying to win here (Dallas). There is no point in missing anything when we have such a great opportunity here to be great.

“There’s no point in looking back … I got to look forward. I got to try to give my best self here.” Thompson is keen to achieve success at his new home after spending the entirety of his NBA career with the Warriors after being selected 11th overall by Golden State in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Whether or not his reaction on the court will be different remains to be seen, but it’ll be a strange moment for Thompson as he lines up against former stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Kerr is already preparing himself and told The Athletic: “This will be as emotional as anything we’ve ever experienced, I think, in my time here.

“I think it’ll be even more emotional than his return to play. Obviously, now there’s a finality to it and appreciation for everything he did hanging the banners, helping get the arena built, just being so beloved by everybody.”

Klay Thompson will be back on the court with stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

Klay Thompson will be back on the court with stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green. ( 

Image:

2023 NBAE)

It’s not just Kerr that’s feeling reflective ahead of tip-off, as Curry is keen to celebrate his friend and former teammate when he returns. When asked what Thompson’s homecoming would be like, Curry said: “I don’t know, actually.

“We’ve had homecomings before, but nothing like this. With the level of impact and the brand of Klay in the Bay Area… We obviously have a game to play so you want to make sure you’re locked-in mentally on that.

“But he deserves the celebration and welcome that he’s going to get. It’s a great opportunity to reflect on all the memories that we had. I don’t want to be too crazy it’s not a memorial or an obituary. However it plays out, I just hope he feels the love because he deserves it.”

Curry’s emotions are crystal clear when it comes to one thing, though – the sight of Thompson donning a No. 31 Mavericks jersey rather than the No. 11 Warriors top he sported until not long ago. “It’s weird seeing No. 31 (on it),” he said.

“I hate that.”