NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: WARRIORS vs KINGS

April 23, 2023

Klay Thompson

Media Conference

Golden State Warriors 126, Sacramento Kings 125.

Q. The main guys who are the main guys -- does it feel like this is, I'm not going to say old -- this is on you guys still? This is still on your shoulders?

KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we're the one who is have been here the longest and we've got to expect big minutes at this time of year and that's -- we're happy about that. But we still trust our bench. We still trust our depth and guys are going to make huge plays going forward to help us win games, and Draymond, Steph and I weren't the only -- we didn't win the championships.

We did it as a team and strength in numbers was a real mantra we lived by and I give our front office a ton of credit for filling out those holes every off-season of players who fit our system and want to win more than anything else. That's why we are still here competing.

Q. That fourth quarter, that right there solidified that this splash brother thing, this thing is for real, and this thing been growing for about ten --

KLAY THOMPSON: 2023, dang.

Q. For real. Getting to it, though, we knew it's been real for quite some time. Your thoughts, your commentary, playing alongside Steph and doing these type of magical things, what's your thoughts on that as your career has grown with his?

KLAY THOMPSON: Well, I've admired Steph long before he was a Warrior. When he was at Davidson, I was a fan. I went and saw him play at the Honda Center in Anaheim against UCLA, and I was amazed by his skill and his ability.

To be drafted by the Warriors and be his 2-guard as long as I have been, it's been nothing short of amazing. I just appreciate his hard work. I get to see it every day. The guy is in the best shape for a reason. He doesn't shake short cuts. He's just a great family man. He's got a beautiful family, and he's wise beyond his years.

I feel like Steph has been the same age since 2012. He's just a simple person, but he is a competitor. To still be out here playing in playoff games with him, it's a great feeling, and these times I'll cherish for the rest of my life. And hopefully we can carve out a legacy of one of the better backcourts to play this game.

Q. When you heard that Draymond definitely wasn't going to start, do you think, yeah, that made sense because of what happened in the last game? What did you think of it strategically?

KLAY THOMPSON: I thought it was a good strategy. Like I said before, with Loon and Dray playing very similar, it was probably smart to stagger their minutes a little bit, but they are also great together.

And I love the ovation our crowd gave them. I love that Dub Nation has Draymond's back through everything. He has given this franchise so much, and it's incredible to think he was the 35th pick at one point.

Now to go down as a player who has changed the way basketball has played as far as being a floor spacing big man who can guard every position, that's just a rare thing in basketball. We are just grateful for Draymond's unselfishness and his leadership. You know, he thinks the game almost better than anybody I know. So I just love competing with him.

Q. Wiggins, after basically two months away, has gone 39, 34, 38 minutes. Four blocks, two steals tonight. Does it surprise you at all? I know you know what type of athlete that he is, coming back in this form?

KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, it's incredible. I've been telling people this all the time. Like he didn't play in the NBA for two months and he came back doing what he did, it's like, it's crazy, because Wiggs doesn't look like he's trying very hard.

But like you said he has four blocks and two steals and he doesn't ever really break a sweat. I'd give everything I have to have four blocks in a week. For him to do that just effortlessly.

Without him, we don't win a championship last year and we are not the same team either this year. We are just so grateful for Andrew and he's just an All-Star and he's an incredible two-way player.