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The Golden State Warriors season might look completely different if they had their All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson. Missing his production is the primary reason the Warriors traded for swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. in hopes he would supplant some of it.
However, missing this season may turn out to be the best thing that’s happened to Thompson. After playing such high-level basketball for so long, and adding playoff games and final appearances consecutively on top of the NBA’s regular 82 game schedule, a recent conversation with a former Los Angeles Lakers champion seems to reveal that Thompson may be able to play until his 40s.
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Thompson’s Father Discussed Body Maintenance
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GettyThe Thompson Family Behind-the-Scenes at the “Solid Foundation” Video Shoot.
Thompson’s father, Mychal Thompson was the number one pick of the 1978 NBA draft and played for 13 seasons. In that time, he won 2 championships as a member of the showtime Lakers.
Having played against and seen some of the greats, he always looks to provide the Warriors guard with sound advice. In one of their recent conversations that he detailed to NBC Sports Bay Area, he spoke about how due to Thompson’s shooting ability, his career can last much longer than the typical NBA players.
“I said, if you really want to, you can play till you’re 40 years of age, but the key to that is you have to take care of your body, as you go into your 30s,” Mychal stated to NBC Sports.
“Since [Klay doesn’t] play above the rim like Vince Carter or Russell Westbrook, he can shoot. And shooting stays with you forever.”
“You got to maintain your body like you have an office building. Your body is your office building, right? And if you have a business, are you gonna let that building get run down? Get trashed? Get abused? No! You have to take care of your office.”
Former Laker Wants Warriors Stars to Follow LeBron James
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GettyLeBron James #23 and Tristan Thompson #13 of the Cleveland Cavaliers exchange words with Klay Thompson #11 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in overtime during Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals.
That wasn’t all Mychal Thompson remembered saying to his son. He then dived into great detail about how during his era there wasn’t as much rest as there is today for athletes and that today’s stars should use that to their advantage.
Additionally, he mentioned how the Warriors should mimic the routine of one of their more familiar opponents to increase their longevity in the business.
“We would play every game, no rest, no load management, and then the next day we have a two-and-a-half-hour practice,” Thompson discussed.