Warriors owner Joe Lacob was one of the first people in the organization to learn of Klay Thompson’s decision to leave Golden State.
He was initially disappointed by the news, but moments later expressed his admiration for the team’s iconic sharpshooter.
Lacob appeared on the latest episode of The Athletic “Hoops Adjacent” Podcastwhere he discussed Thompson’s departure and what message he sent the veteran guard the day after their initial phone conversation before the start of NBA free agency.
“When he called me and told me he had decided to move on, this was before free agency, he called me and talked to me really nicely about it and how he didn’t like making that call, but he said ‘I guess this is what I have to do,’” Lacob recalled. “Right after that, it was the next day, a couple of days before free agency started, I sent him this video of me bowing down to him and it was just my way of saying he meant so much to us and to this organization and to what we’ve accomplished as a group and I still feel that way about him.”
The video Lacob is referring to was a viral moment after Thompson scored 41 points and knocked down 11 3-pointers in the Warriors’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals, where the Golden State owner bowed to Thompson in the tunnel after the game.
Lacob will always consider Thompson a close friend, but when the Warriors match up against the Dallas Mavericks for the first time during the 2024-25 NBA season, Lacob knows his team won’t take Thompson lightly.
“I’ll always do that, that’ll never change. I don’t care what people think about what happened or didn’t happen, he’ll always be welcome in my life, I hope he feels the same way,” Lacob said. “Honestly, I get a little emotional about that. I hope we’ll be friends forever. He’s just going to be in Dallas for a couple of years and we’ve just got to beat the hell out of him. But that’s just work and I’m sure he feels the same way, that’s the whole competition. But he’ll always be welcome in our home.”
With the news of Thompson’s departure still fresh, Lacob and the Warriors continue to reminisce on the five-time All-Star’s many memorable times with the organization. However, they will soon have to face off against their new Western Conference rival.
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