Klay Thompson‘s father, Mychal Thompson, recently offered a heartfelt insight into his relationship with Kobe Bryant. While reflecting on his time with the 5x champion, the former Los Angeles Lakers representative adopted a converging path from the established narrative. The 69-year-old declined to pick an in-game moment but rather delved into their unique off-court bond.
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Looking back on his time with the 18x All-Star, the 2x champion mentioned, “My favorite moments with Kobe with just him and me sitting in the gym alone, 3-4 hours before the game. Just talking about the NBA. Talking about how it used to be during the showtime era. Comparing eras to my time and his time and sometimes just talking about life”.
The former center admitted to discussing their time playing basketball in Italy in different eras while also sharing details of their personal lives. “Just me and him alone in a darkened arena before the lights came on,” he recollected upon reflecting. “Those are my best moments with Kobe,” the 6ft 10″ icon candidly mentioned.
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Instances such as these became invaluable chapters in the journey of the Bahamas-born as he worked with the 2008 MVP for a significant time. Since joining the Lakers as a color commentator in 2003, the veteran developed a close association with the 6ft 6″ guard. Thus, in the late great’s absence, the memories spurred in his mind upon looking back.
The occasion of Bryant’s statue unveiling certainly played a key role behind it. The occasion undoubtedly reignited those thoughts as Mychal eventually let his emotions take over. Simultaneously, it showcased the lesser-known social side of the Black Mamba as he cultivated several such memorable relationships.
How Kobe Bryant subsequently influenced Klay Thompson
The bond between those two generations eventually inspired the generation after that. As Mychal once revealed on 95.7 The Game, “I could take him [Klay] to Staples Center and say, ‘There’s Kobe, 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,” he revealed.
The friendship between his father and his NBA hero used to surprise the Golden State Warriors guard at times too. One such instance happened when the Philadelphia-born joined the Thompsons at a dinner table as Klay mentioned, “I’m like, of all the people you picked to sit with right now, you pick my Pops to talk to?! This is crazy. I didn’t say a word. I was so starstruck”.
Down the line, these restricted interactions understandably left a major impact on the mindset of a young shooting guard. In the coming years, the California-born put the accumulated knowledge into use as he conquered the basketball circuit in his rights. This adds another layer to the worldwide impact of Kobe Bean Bryant as his tale continues to this day.
