Three-time champion Klay Thompson calls out the bandwagon fans as the Warriors clinch their first playoff appearance in two years.
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The Golden State Warriors began the season as ultimate favorites to win the championship and rebuild their dynasty. Stephen Curry was the early favorite to win the MVP, while Draymond Green was a front runner for the DPOY. However, the Dubs lost their way amid the season, slipping from the top position.
However, Dub Nation remained optimistic, staring at the return of the other half of the Splash Brother, Klay Thompson. The five-time All-Star hadn’t played a single game in two and half seasons, having suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries.
Thompson would make his long-awaited comeback this season, making the Warriors top favorites to win the chip. Though not consistent on a nightly basis, Thompson has shown us glimpses of his old self, having some noteworthy performances.
With the Warriors clinching a spot in the playoffs, Thompson didn’t hesitate to take a shot at the bandwagon fans.
Klay Thompson asks Dub Nation to ignore the bandwagoners.
The Warriors dominated the league for almost half of the last decade leading to the birth of the bandwagon population, which grew leaps and bounds after Kevin Durant signed with the Dubs. The Steve Kerr team made five consecutive trips to the Finals 2015-19, winning three chips.
Unfortunately, the dynasty ended in 2019 with the Warriors losing to the Raptors in the Finals. Thompson and Durant suffered career-threatening injuries. During the off-season, KD signed with the Nets while Thompson was out for the season.
The Dubs weren’t invincible anymore and soon became a lottery team. In what many believed, the championship window for the Warriors was closed, and Curry, Thompson, and Green would end their Hall of Fame careers with three rings.
However, the Warriors were a well-oiled machine run by Coach Kerr. The 2021-22 season would see the Dubs reclaim themselves as championship contenders. Thus with the Warriors looking to cement their position as 3rd seed in the western conference, Thompson had the following message for the bandwagon fans.
“We can forget those folks. They don’t deserve to rep the Warriors”
The Warriors guard makes a valid point as unlike the bandwagoners, Dub Nation has patiently waited two years to see their team contend for a championship. The true fans stood the test of time, waiting to see Thompson make his return and the Dubs go back to winning ways.
Thompson is currently averaging 19.3 PPG on 41.8% shooting from the field and 37.1% from the 3-point line.
