Recently, Klay Thompson‘s father went viral after his son doubted his support during the Warriors vs Lakers series. Mychal Thompson has long-standing ties with the Lakers. He formerly played for them from 1988 to 1991 and has worked as a color commentator for the Lakers and still works as a radio commentator for the team. Mychal, because of his connection to the Lakers, pestered Kobe Bryant into mentoring Klay. The Lakers legend helped Klay not just improve his game but also molded Thompson’s winning mentality. Those talks with Kobe directed the Warriors’ guard to 4 championships.
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With Thompson proclaiming he is unsure of his father’s loyalty in the ongoing series, Mychal has truly gone viral. But what many do not about Mychal is that his nudging of Kobe and his hand in the talks the superstar had with the young Klay added priceless insight to his career.
Mychal pestered Kobe Bryant into mentoring Klay Thompson
Bryant was one of the fiercest competitors in the league. A hard worker with a one-track mind, he was on a stratosphere of his own. Yet, despite his insatiable urge to win, Kobe, like Reggie Miller and Michael Jordan had mentored, took talented, hardworking youngsters under his win and mentored them. One of those youngsters was Klay Thompson.
Mychal, who has worked with the Lakers for two decades now, apart from his playing days, obviously has a good connection with the players and management. When Thompson was in college and he needed improvement in his game, Mychal would take him to Lakers games and point him toward Kobe.
Mychal discussed the influence of Bryant on his son in detail while on the 95.7 FM’s Willard and Dibs Podcast, Thompson had the following to say:
“I could take him to Staples Center and say, ‘There’s Kobe (Bryant), go talk to him.’ Then Kobe would take the time and be gracious enough to talk to Klay and other young people like Klay who were basketball players who were coming up. And he would tell them about the right way to approach the game, the right way to play [and] to have passion for the game.”
Mychal also explained how, in contrast to his opinion, Klay naturally valued Kobe’s advice a lot more. In the podcast, he also discussed the value of Bryant’s advice on the podcast.
“Yeah, you can hear that from your parents all the time. But when you have a legend, an icon like Kobe giving that type of advice, I could just sit back and relax a little bit, because he’s gonna listen to that guy probably more than he’s gonna listen to me.”
Klay has profited greatly from Bryant’s advice
Kobe Bryant’s obsession with winning is no mystery. When he talked to Klay during his college days, it is more than likely Thompson adopted the same mentality. He has taken the mentoring Mamba offered and turned it into a championship-winning talent.
The 6ft 6″ swingman is one of the greatest shooters ever and is part of a team that will go down in history as one of the best ever. But, in the end, there is no denying that Bryant’s selfless talks about basketball guided him into becoming a 4-time NBA Champion.
