Title: Klay Thompson Regrets Taunting Devin Booker in Candid Podcast Interview
Subtitle: Warriors forward reflects on heated exchange during a game against the Suns
In a recent episode of Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George’s podcast, “Podcast P,” Golden State Warriors forward Klay Thompson opened up about his regret over taunting Phoenix Suns player Devin Booker during a game last season. Thompson admitted that he was “in his feelings” at the time and acknowledged that his actions did not age well.
The match-up between the Warriors and the Suns on October 25th, which was only the fourth game of the season for both teams, had a playoff-like atmosphere. In the third quarter, tensions ran high as Thompson began exchanging words with Booker, repeatedly reminding him of his four championships. The heated exchange eventually led to both players receiving double technical fouls. Shortly after, Thompson was ejected from the game for shoving Mikal Bridges, marking the first ejection of his career.
Despite the game being closely contested at the time of Thompson’s ejection, the Suns ultimately pulled away with a convincing 134-105 victory. Thompson had a forgettable performance, finishing with just two points on 1-of-8 shooting, while Booker shined with 34 points and seven assists.
During the podcast interview with Paul George, Thompson admitted, “I was not where I needed to be. God. You know stuff doesn’t age well and that didn’t age well for me. I don’t need to be flexing four rings, bro, like everybody know that. That’s on Wikipedia. My game wasn’t where it was at, and we all get insecure at times.”
Thompson went on to express his admiration for Booker’s work ethic, acknowledging the challenges he had faced in Phoenix and how he had become a franchise player due to his perseverance. Reflecting on the incident, Thompson stated, “I’m man enough to admit that we all have our moments of weakness. I’m not really proud of that one.”
Booker reciprocated the respect in a post-game interview following the incident, stating, “I love Klay Thompson. I have from the beginning. From the draft, coming out, I said I wanted to be Klay Thompson. That doesn’t excuse us from competing against each other and talking a little mess with each other. I had fun with it. Big fan of his and his competitive nature, and that’s that.”
While the exchange between Thompson and Booker was not significant in the grand scheme of things, it is noteworthy to see Thompson’s candidness in admitting his regret for his actions during the game. It is uncommon for active players to reflect on such incidents publicly, making Thompson’s openness a refreshing departure from the norm.
Overall, Thompson’s reflection serves as a reminder that even professional athletes have moments of vulnerability and should be admired for their ability to acknowledge and learn from their mistakes.
Reference:
NBCS Warriors via Twitter: https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1585127289800790018