“Looked At My Dad So Differently”: Klay Thompson Recalls Kobe Bryant Playing Crucial Role In Helping Warriors Star Find Unbridled Respect For Father

A 4-time NBA champion, Klay Thompson is one of the biggest reasons behind the success the Golden State Warriors have had. One half of the Splash Brothers, the 33-year-old is not the first NBA player in his family. As a matter of fact, his father, his father Mychal Thompson also played in the NBA and finished his career with the LA Lakers, in 1991. Thompson recently revealed on Podcast P, on “The Klay Thompson Episode” that his father knew Kobe Bryant. Klay looked at his father in a “different way” when Kobe once chose to sit with him when they chanced upon each other. The episode aired on 7^th August 2023.

Klay Thompson’s dad was the first pick of the 1978 NBA draft, picked by the Portland Trail Blazers. Mychal Thompson won 2 NBA titles in 1987 and 1988 alongside the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

Mychal Thompson was a 2-time NBA winner with the LA Lakers

Kobe Bryant, a childhood Lakers fan, knew about Mychal Thompson’s achievements and respected him as a player. Klay was obviously unaware of this and ended up finding it out when they chanced upon Kobe at a Los Angeles restaurant.

Klay was visiting the restaurant with his father and uncle. The Warriors’ sharpshooter was starstruck. However, his father wasn’t, as he casually introduced his brother-in-law to the Lakers legend:

“We were just at a table, and of all the people who come sit with my dad, is Kobe. I was like wow, he could have sat anywhere else. He comes and sits with my dad. I will never forget that. I never said a word the entire time. My dad is like, Kobe this is my brother-in-law John, and he is like, ‘What’s up?’ I looked at my dad so differently after that day. I knew you played the league, but I didn’t know you were so nice. You got Kobe’s respect. That was a great moment for me too.”

Klay claimed that the incident made him realize just how much respect his father already commanded in the NBA. Fair to say, he has gone and more than emulated his father’s impact as a player.

Klay Thompson was starstruck with Kobe Bryant despite being son of former NBA player

Klay Thompson is one of the many NBA players whose father has already made an impact in the league. Still, Kobe Bryant was an inspiration to the younger generation and is one of the biggest icons the league has ever seen.

Kobe’s skills and ability to deliver when it mattered most were in addition to his off-court achievements. He was always willing to give advice to the younger generation and mentored a range of future stars during his playing days.

Klay Thompson’s father was himself a number 1 pick in the NBA and won the title 2 times. Still, he thoroughly looked up to Kobe and was left feeling starstruck when he chanced upon the Lakers legend.