Klay Thompson Dealt Personal Loss
Klay Thompson Dealt Personal Loss originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The last few years, for the most part, haven't been very kind to Klay Thompson.
He tore his ACL during the 2019 NBA Finals, a year after winning his third world championship in four seasons, and he had to miss all of the 2019-20 season. Then prior to the following campaign, he tore his Achilles.
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After missing two full seasons, he helped the Golden State Warriors get another ring in 2022, but he wasn't the same player. He left to join the Dallas Mavericks last summer, but the Mavericks failed to reach the playoffs this year.
Off the court, Thompson is reportedly facing another type of adversity with the passing of his beloved 13-year-old dog, Rocco.
Although elite pro athletes such as Thompson have seemingly all the money in the world and all the freedom to do whatever they want, they're still flawed and sensitive souls just like the rest of us. Therefore, when one of them loses a beloved pet, it will hurt just as much as it hurts a mere mortal who makes $15 an hour.
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It was thought that Thompson's arrival in Dallas would put the team over the top after it reached the NBA Finals last year. But he shot a career-low 41.2% from the field, and once Luka Doncic was traded away in early February, his level of support only dwindled.
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30).Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
One by one, one key player after another fell victim to injury. All-Star guard Kyrie Irving tore his ACL in early March, and that was likely the injury that sunk the Mavericks more than any other.
While they're presumably about to welcome Duke phenom Cooper Flagg to their clan via next month's NBA draft, Rocco the dog is crossing the rainbow bridge.
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Related: Charles Barkley's Exchange With Timothée Chalamet Catches Attention
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
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