Buddy Hield Opens Up About ‘Bahamian Brother’ Klay Thompson’s Incredible Gesture in 2016

Although athletes compete against each other, there is a familial bond within the NBA fraternity, and with the passage of time, these relationships only get stronger.  Buddy Hield experienced this phenomenon when he found out Klay Thompson shared the same Bahamian heritage as him.

Klay is a five-time All-Star, who has represented Team USA on the national stage, leading to a gold medal in the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. However, none of this will come as a surprise to those aware of the California-native’s lineage.

Klay’s father, Mychal Thompson, born and raised in the Bahamas is a 6-foot-10 big man won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Buddy Hield didn’t know any of this.

Sure, he knew of Mychal Thompson and his many accomplishments but had no idea about the connection Klay had to him. Even to this day, he remembers the moment he found out.

“You don’t know someone’s Bahamian until somebody starts getting big time,” Hield said on Dubs Talk. “Somebody called me [from] back home and said, ‘Klay Thompson’s dad is Bahamian.’ I said, ‘Who’s his dad?’ They said, ‘Mychal Thompson.'”

After that Hield began to keep tabs on Thompson and the Warriors, which coincided with the team’s ascension into juggernauts of the league.

“That 2015 year, Steph was on the rise and I was in my junior year in college,” Hield revealed. His most impactful moment with Thompson came in the following year.

Thompson reached out to Hield to invite him to a game. Since the Warriors were playing in Oklahoma City, he brought Hield out to a game against the Thunder. That battle turned out to be the one featuring Curry’s iconic game-winning three-pointer.

“That’s when I knew how crazy the NBA is,” Hield exclaimed.

Thompson has since leaned more into his Bahamian heritage, even joining the Bahamas national team for training camp ahead of the 2024 Olympic qualifiers. Thompson intended to suit up for the team, but unfortunately, couldn’t receive a release from USA Basketball.

There’s still hope that Klay can represent his father’s home country. If that eventually happens, Hield and Thompson will finally get the opportunity to play together. It would be a sight to behold for Hield and his ‘Bahamian brother’ to share the court at such a high level.