Michael Jordan’s teammate denied Klay Thompson an autograph, leading to an awkward situation 20 years later

Adit Pujari | 02/09/2022
Michael Jordan's teammate denied Klay Thompson an autograph, leading to an awkward situation 20 years later

Former Chicago Bulls shooter Steve Kerr left Golden State Warriors three-point specialist Klay Thompson left high and dry

Klay Thompson returned in 2021-22 for a dream run. One half of the Splash Brothers, Thompson suffered two back-to-back season-ending injuries.

He tore his ACL while facing the Toronto Raptors in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals. Thompson dropped 30 relentless points before being escorted off the court by GSW staff.

The ACL tear cost him the entire 2019-20 season. After going through arduous training and physio regime, Klay was returning back to playable health when things went south.

The 5-time All-Star tore his Achilles while practicing with several NBA players in LA. He returned to the court on January 9 against Cleveland Cavaliers and went on to win his fourth championship.

Before Klay gained fame as one of the most lethal shooters in the league his coach Steve Kerr held the position of Bulls’ three-point expert. Back then, Steve Kerr refused to fulfill Klay’s request.

Also Read: “Bench Michael Jordan!”: Phil Jackson’s assistant made the 1992 NBA final’s winning decision

Klay Thompson refused to give Michael Jordan’s ardent fan Klay an autograph

Klay Thompson and his brother who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers visited Bulls’ stadium to get an autograph from Jordan and Pippen. Golden State Warriors shooting guard revealed that a young Kerr ‘big-timed’ him.

Kerr had a hilarious response when Klay’s side of the story was narrated to him. The 4 championship-winning coach told the reporters:

“I looked at him — I remember the moment really well. He walked up. He said, ‘hey Mr. Kerr, can I have your autograph?’ I said, ‘scram kid, I got more important places to be.’

‘I can’t be bothered with stuff like this son — you go talk to those guys over there.”

Kerr has shaped the Warriors into one of the greatest NBA dynasties

Well, Kerr owns his swagger, in one way or the other. He is a coach who leads by example. Pushing the boundaries of not just his own self but his team too.

In many ways, the 56-year-old coach is the reason for GSW’s big three’s success. He molded them with his own experience, creativity, and drive for perfection.

He has made big man dependence a thing of the past, forcing the dawn of three-point era. Effectively creating a dynasty that will go down in the history books.

Also Read: Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan expressed mutual adoration while chasing their 5th title

Post Edited By: Tonoy Sengupta
Chicago Bulls Klay Thompson Steve Kerr

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Adit Pujari

Adit Pujari is an NBA Journalist and Strategist at The SportsRush. He formerly worked as a debate and writing trainer. An avid fan of Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, Adit began following the league in 2007. With the Lakers and Boston Celtics rivalry ripe, he found himself hooked to the sport immediately. After 15 years of religiously following the league, he decided to use his knowledge base as a sports writer in 2021. Since then, he has worked as an NBA writer, led a team of MLB writers, and has now joined The SportsRush. In his spare time, Adit loves playing pickup games and exploring hidden Himalayan trails.

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