National Basketball Association

Inside Klay Thompson's emotional return after 941 days

Updated Jan. 10, 2022 3:30 p.m. ET

By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer

SAN FRANCISCO — There's something about Klay Thompson that's incredibly relatable.

He's human-sized, unlike some of the 7-foot behemoths in the league. He's quiet, preferring to let his game do the talking. And he keeps things simple, lighting up more when he talks about his dog than his accomplishments.

That's why his struggle was so poignant.

Everyone was rooting for him Sunday when he played his first NBA game in 941 days following two grueling rehabs from two devastating injuries. Players around the league tweeted about "Klay Day." His teammates wore "Thompson" jerseys as they warmed up. Fans cheered so loudly during introductory lineups that they drowned out the announcing of Thompson's name.

This moment transcended sports. This was a redemption story about a player who overcame back-to-back ACL and Achilles injuries and his own mental demons to return to the game he loves. This was the ultimate Hollywood movie, playing out in real time, for a humble man with a demure smile.

For Thompson, it was one of the best moments of his life.

"I'm not going to say equivalent to winning a championship, but, man, it was pretty freaking close because there were times in the past when you second-guess yourself in thinking if you're going to be the same player and have the same explosion," Thompson said after the Warriors' 96-82 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.

The emotions began pouring out of Thompson — and everyone around him — an hour before the game began. The smattering of fans who were at Chase Center at 4:40 p.m. as he ran onto the court to warm up roared with the strength of a capacity crowd during the NBA Finals.

Thompson responded by raising his arms in the air. He walked around in two circles clapping his hands. He then called for the basketball, squatted on the court and shook his head back and forth.

It was really happening.

So much went into this moment. During the dark days, he feared he'd never be the same. For two-and-a-half years, he imagined playing again. Now he was finally about to hear the squeak of his shoes and the splash of the ball flying through the net in a game.

His nerves could have been through the roof. His anxiety could have been off the scales. But, of course, that wasn't the case. We're talking about Thompson. "I slept very well," he said, stoically.

How did he spend the hours leading up to the game? He walked his bulldog, Rocco, around the park. During warm-ups, he centered himself by looking at the rookies, who, he noted, were calm as can be.

"I'm like, 'I don't need to be nervous if these guys aren't nervous,'" he said.

Instead, Thompson soaked everything up. When a moving tribute video celebrated his comeback before the game, he thought about all he had overcome. He immersed himself in the moment. He allowed himself to enjoy it.

"Gosh, it was fun, and it was worth every single day of being away on that squat rack and that shuttle board and all the conditioning days," Thompson said. "It was worth every single moment. I'm so grateful to just compete again. It's been a long road. But I'm just also proud of myself for persevering."

No one wanted to miss this moment. Draymond Green opted to be announced as a starter even though he couldn't play because he experienced calf tightness during warm-ups. He was yanked after seven seconds, sacrificing his stats with a zero-point, zero-rebound, zero-assist performance just so he could hear his name called alongside his friend's.

Everyone wanted this night to be perfect for Thompson. All season, the Warriors promised that his return would be at Chase Center. They wanted it to happen in front of an adoring crowd. This was just too important. It had to be perfect.

Thompson responded in the best of ways — he was himself.

He took 18 shots in 20 minutes. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he drew up the first play of the game for Thompson to pass the ball to a teammate. But Thompson instead swished a six-foot floating jumper to the delight of a roaring crowd.

"I should have known better," Kerr said of his ill-devised plan, laughing.

The entire game was fun. It isn't often that we get to watch someone fight back from the depths of despair to flourish once again. Fans went wild any time Thompson scored any of his 17 points on 7-for-18 shooting, including 3-for-8 from beyond the arc.

But there was one moment in particular when the basketball world took a sigh of relief.

With three minutes left in the second quarter, Thompson crossed over Jarrett Allen in front of the 3-point line and then exploded to the basket and soared for a one-handed jam over two defenders who collapsed on him. It was the type of play that showed he's not afraid. He proved to the world — and himself — that he still has the mobility and explosiveness he had before.

"It's funny because I didn't dunk the whole two months of scrimmaging," he said. "But when those lights are the brightest, I just felt bouncy. And it felt so good to throw that down. I didn't expect that. I'm very pleased in my efforts tonight."

Everyone else was pleased, too.

Stephen Curry got goosebumps when Thompson's name was called during starting lineups. He had severely missed his Splash Brother. When Curry became the All-Time leader in 3-pointers last month during a game against the New York Knicks, he hung Thompson's jersey in the locker room, so he could feel his presence at Madison Square Garden.

"I'm not the shooter that I am if I don't get to see Klay every single day do what he does," said Curry, who had 28 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Kevon Looney acknowledged that he got choked up during Thompson's return, likening it to watching a boxer getting off the ground.

"It was one of those moments that you'll always remember." said Looney, who finished with six points and a career-high 18 rebounds.

For Thompson, it was a spectacular conclusion to an incredibly trying period in his life. He's back. He couldn't stop smiling after the game. He had a lightness about him. His gratitude was palpable and penetrating.

Nothing could bother him, not on this night. He didn't shoot as well as he wanted, and he finished with a minus-two rating. So what? He reached the top of the mountain. He's doing what he loves again. He finally feels like himself.

"I'm just so happy that I could even look at the stat sheet and see my name there," he said.

Just a short while ago, Thompson didn't know if he'd ever reach this day. It seemed so far away. He didn't know if his body would continue to betray him. He didn't know if his mind could overcome the despair.

But through it all, Thompson refused to give up.

"Tough times don't last," he said. "Tough people do."

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.