Latest news with #Klay
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
NBA star Klay Thompson suffers devastating loss as his dog Rocco passes away at 13
Klay Thompson. Image via: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images NBA veteran Klay Thompson has been hit with a heartbreaking personal tragedy. The four-time NBA champion is mourning the loss of his beloved English bulldog, Rocco, who passed away at age 13. The news was shared by Klay's father, Mychal Thompson, on ESPN LA's Mason & Ireland show, bringing an emotional moment to the sports world. The dog, who had been with Klay since his rookie season in 2011, was more than a pet; for the Thompsons, he was family. Rocco was a companion through every chapter of Klay Thompson's NBA journey Klay Thompson's bond with Rocco wasn't a side note in his career. Rocco was central to his personal journey. Mychal Thompson shared the sad news during a live radio segment, saying, "We had to put Rocco, Klay's dog, down over the weekend." He added, "We were all sad, but Rocco had a great, long life." The former Lakers star even dedicated the day's show to 'our service men and women, and to Rocco.' Klay, now with the Dallas Mavericks after 13 seasons with the Warriors, hasn't made a public statement yet. But his relationship with Rocco was well-known and deeply cherished. In past interviews, Klay had referred to the dog as his 'son.' He even recalled, 'My first memory of Rocco is picking him up from the breeder... Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software Esseps Learn More Undo He was just a little puppy.' Over the years, Rocco became a favorite among fans. He starred in ad campaigns, had viral moments online, and even had his own Instagram account with over 61,000 followers. The pup was often seen by Klay's side during recovery from injuries. When asked in a 2022 interview how Rocco was doing, Klay responded, 'He'll be turning 10 on April 20… To be a 10-year-old bulldog, I'm very grateful for Rocco.' Even though Rocco had slowed down in recent years, his presence never faded from Klay's life. The dog had a reputation for being chill, loyal, and the perfect emotional support through the highs and lows of NBA life. Also Read: NBA legend Charles Barkley throws direct criticism at Karl-Anthony Towns' face after New York Knicks' Game 5 win against Indiana Pacers The basketball community responded with love. Rocco's memory will live on in the hearts of NBA fans and dog lovers alike. His life, filled with courtside cuddles and championship runs, was one worth celebrating. What was Rocco's cause of death? While Mychal Thompson did not explain the cause of death of their beloved dog, it can be assumed that Rocco died due to old age. According to PetMD, average lifespan of English Bulldog is about 8-10 years. Rocco accompanied the NBA star over 13 years and he will be his memory as a reminder of support in the Mavericks star's remianing journey in the league.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
RIP Rocco: Klay Thompson's beloved dog dies at 13
Klay Thompson's beloved English bulldog, Rocco, passed away at 13. Mychal Thompson, Klay's father, shared the news on ESPN's LA sports radio show "Mason & Ireland." 'As Mase and Ireland always say, when someone dear has departed, 'Hail fellow well met,'' Thompson said. 'We had to put Rocco, Klay's dog, down over the weekend.' He said the English bulldog was put down Saturday but that 'it was time.' 'We were all sad, but Rocco had a great, long life. So today's game is dedicated to the memory of our service men and women, and to Rocco,' he said. Mychal then lead a lighthearted trivia segment about the dog. Klay often referred to Rocco as his son. In 2014, while signing a $70 million contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, he asked general manager Bob Myers how much longer the process would take. 'We were trying to get the contract signed, and all he wanted to do was go home to his dog,' Myers recalled. In 2022, when asked about Rocco, Klay shared that the bulldog would turn 10 on April 20. 'He was born in mid-April at some point, but to make things easier, I say the 20th,' he said at the time. 'Easy date to remember and to be a 10-year-old bulldog, I'm very grateful for Rocco.' Fans mourned Rocco's passing on social media. One wrote, 'Damn. Mychal Thompson just said Klay had to send Rocco to doggy heaven last weekend. RIP Rocco the Bulldog.' Another wrote, 'I of course knew this day was coming but still dreaded it all the same. Seeing Klay/Rocco moments for like a decade always made my day. RIP Rocco.' A third person added, 'RIP Rocco. A warriors legend always.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NBA Draft: How Kon Knueppel has been adding to his game since Duke's Final Four loss — 'I would love to play like Klay'
Every pickup game has that one guy. Always moves without the ball. Hits open shots. Dives on the concrete. Never complains. You're halfway through the game and you're annoyed by how he keeps setting screens, but simultaneously impressed by how he hasn't missed a single shot or made a single mistake. Now imagine that guy is 6-foot-5 and grew up in a basketball-obsessed family in Wisconsin, won a state title with his brother and cousin, and then ended up at Duke, where he immediately became a freshman his coach could trust. That's Kon Knueppel, the projected 2025 NBA Draft lottery pick who averaged 14.4 points, had twice as many assists (107) as turnovers (53), and shot 43.3% on catch-and-shoot 3s as a Duke freshman. He doesn't hunt stepbacks or viral dunks. Instead, he's the type who does the hard stuff without demanding the spotlight. 'I love how Klay [Thompson] played. I would love to play like Klay,' Knueppel said on my podcast at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. 'He's so efficient with his movement. He's shooting the ball the same. Even if his feet aren't facing the right way, his shoulders are.' That's the blueprint. He's not a Klay Thompson clone, but you can see what he's chasing: clean mechanics, disciplined movement, and two-way effort. 'The shooting is probably mentioned first,' Knueppel said about his game. 'But I try to do a bit of everything. I'm really just gonna fly around the court and give it my all out there, try to get to every loose ball and try to hold my own on defense.' That mindset showed up in March. He dropped 20 in the Sweet 16, then 21 in the Elite 8. But in the Final Four, despite scoring 16, he was on the floor when Duke coughed up a 14-point, second-half lead and blew its shot at a national title. The loss hurt. Not because it ruined his draft stock, but because it meant something. He could've gone home, taken down a double ButterBurger with cheese from Culver's, and blasted Morgan Wallen on a loop like any self-respecting Midwestern 19-year-old. Instead, he got back to work. 'There's lows in life. It's just a basketball game at the end of the day, but really it's something you put a lot of time into for a whole year with a bunch of good people,' Knueppel said. 'So, how do you respond to that? That's what I've been doing this offseason. Just getting better, using that as fuel because it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.' After the season ended, he was back in the gym and the film room, finding ways to get better. 'I'm working on my conditioning, getting the best shape I can be,' Knueppel said. 'And then just off-the-bounce shooting creation. Being able to create a little more separation, I think that's something I need to get better at. And then creativity around the rim.' This is the stuff that makes scouts lean in. Everyone knows he can shoot. But he's a potential top-10 or even top-five pick because of the idea of what he could be if he adds even more layers to his scoring. Knueppel took only 21 dribble-jumper 3s at Duke and made just three of them. It's a small sample, of course. And he knows it's an area for improvement. 'I wasn't really comfortable shooting those, to be completely honest. I didn't shoot a ton of them in high school. So I've just got to get reps, get better at it, and get more comfortable,' Knueppel said. 'The midrange too. We didn't shoot a lot of midrange at Duke. I want that to be more of a staple in my game because I think that's a great shot for me.' Even around the rim, he's tinkering. Knueppel shot 62% in the half court at the basket, which is an elite number for a player at his position. He was primarily a two-foot finisher, but with more length and athleticism in the NBA, he's building a more dynamic finishing package. 'Two-feet finishing is really effective in college basketball, utilizing your shot fake, your pivots. But I think it's more valuable in college than it is in the pros,' Knueppel said. 'So that's why I've been working more on one-foot finishing creativity here this offseason. And more of those floater-type shots, midrange shots.' The safe bet is that Knueppel's floor is high as a knockdown shooter who makes quick decisions and busts his butt on defense. The upside play is if he keeps evolving off the bounce, because if that comes around you've got something scarier. We saw flashes of that player for the Blue Devils this season when projected top pick Cooper Flagg suffered an injury in the opening round of the ACC tournament against Georgia Tech. Without Flagg to generate offense, Knueppel ran a season-high 14 pick-and-rolls, dissecting the defense with fluid drives to the basket and lobs to another fellow projected lottery pick, center Khaman Maluach. 'I didn't run ball screens very much in high school, even as the point guard my senior year. So I wasn't super familiar with all that,' Knueppel said. 'But once we started doing it at Duke, Khaman's a big target so it kind of came natural with him. If you're on defense and like there's a guard trying to play the low man, you're there but you're not really in position to stop Khaman from catching it.' Knueppel and Duke assistant coach Emanuel Dildy would watch film almost every day before and after practice, focusing on how to run the pick-and-roll. 'We were on the court working on that stuff every day,' Knueppel said. 'If it wasn't ball screen stuff, it was individual stuff: midrange, shooting, footwork.' The reps are part of it. But so is his mindset. What really sets Knueppel apart is how comfortable he is not being the guy who always needs the ball. When asked which four all-time players he'd want on the court with him in need of a bucket, down two points with seven seconds left, he picked Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kevin Durant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 'I'm gonna sit in the corner,' he laughed. 'Maybe a little Jordan drives and a little Steve Kerr.' That's not a throwaway line. That's a self-scout. Knueppel doesn't walk into a room and think he's the alpha. He walks in thinking about how to enhance his teammates and do what's required to win games. The truth is none of this should be surprising. He was raised in a basketball lab. Knueppel's earliest basketball memory came at home, playing full-court mini hoop games in the family playroom. 'Both my parents played, so they loved hoops,' he said. Knueppel's father, also named Kon, led Wisconsin Lutheran College to three-straight conference titles and was the program's all-time leading scorer. And to this day, his mother, Chari, is UW-Green Bay's all-time leading scorer and rebounder. Kon is the oldest of five brothers — Kager, Kinston, Kash and Kidman — basically making his childhood the Midwest version of the Ball family, minus the reality show and the shoe line. 'Even my extended family is a bunch of hoopers as well,' Kon said. 'It's pretty sweet. Those holidays, pickup games get competitive.' As long as he can remember, basketball has been a central part of his life. 'I was raised in a Christian family,' Knueppel said. 'I feel like it was my gift to play hoops. So just let my light shine and do the best I can do, because it's the gift I've been given.' For my full interview with Kon Knueppel, check out his appearance on my podcast, "The Kevin O'Connor Show." You can watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NBA Draft: How Kon Knueppel has been adding to his game since Duke's Final Four loss — 'I would love to play like Klay'
Every pickup game has that one guy. Always moves without the ball. Hits open shots. Dives on the concrete. Never complains. You're halfway through the game and you're annoyed by how he keeps setting screens, but simultaneously impressed by how he hasn't missed a single shot or made a single mistake. Now imagine that guy is 6-foot-5 and grew up in a basketball-obsessed family in Wisconsin, won a state title with his brother and cousin, and then ended up at Duke, where he immediately became a freshman his coach could trust. Advertisement That's Kon Knueppel, the projected 2025 NBA Draft lottery pick who averaged 14.4 points, had twice as many assists (107) as turnovers (53), and shot 43.3% on catch-and-shoot 3s as a Duke freshman. He doesn't hunt stepbacks or viral dunks. Instead, he's the type who does the hard stuff without demanding the spotlight. 'I love how Klay played. I would love to play like Klay,' Knueppel said on my podcast at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. 'He's so efficient with his movement. He's shooting the ball the same. Even if his feet aren't facing the right way, his shoulders are.' That's the blueprint. He's not a Klay Thompson clone, but you can see what he's chasing: clean mechanics, disciplined movement, and two-way effort. 'The shooting is probably mentioned first,' Knueppel said about his game. 'But I try to do a bit of everything. I'm really just gonna fly around the court and give it my all out there, try to get to every loose ball and try to hold my own on defense.' Advertisement That mindset showed up in March. He dropped 20 in the Sweet 16, then 21 in the Elite 8. But in the Final Four, despite scoring 16, he was on the floor when Duke coughed up a 14-point, second-half lead and blew its shot at a national title. The loss hurt. Not because it ruined his draft stock, but because it meant something. He could've gone home, taken down a double ButterBurger with cheese from Culver's, and blasted Morgan Wallen on a loop like any self-respecting Midwestern 19-year-old. Instead, he got back to work. 'There's lows in life. It's just a basketball game at the end of the day, but really it's something you put a lot of time into for a whole year with a bunch of good people,' Knueppel said. 'So, how do you respond to that? That's what I've been doing this offseason. Just getting better, using that as fuel because it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.' After the season ended, he was back in the gym and the film room, finding ways to get better. 'I'm working on my conditioning, getting the best shape I can be,' Knueppel said. 'And then just off-the-bounce shooting creation. Being able to create a little more separation, I think that's something I need to get better at. And then creativity around the rim.' Advertisement This is the stuff that makes scouts lean in. Everyone knows he can shoot. But he's a potential top-10 or even top-five pick because of the idea of what he could be if he adds even more layers to his scoring. Knueppel took only 21 dribble-jumper 3s at Duke and made just three of them. It's a small sample, of course. And he knows it's an area for improvement. 'I wasn't really comfortable shooting those, to be completely honest. I didn't shoot a ton of them in high school. So I've just got to get reps, get better at it, and get more comfortable,' Knueppel said. 'The midrange too. We didn't shoot a lot of midrange at Duke. I want that to be more of a staple in my game because I think that's a great shot for me.' Advertisement Even around the rim, he's tinkering. Knueppel shot 62% in the half court at the basket, which is an elite number for a player at his position. He was primarily a two-foot finisher, but with more length and athleticism in the NBA, he's building a more dynamic finishing package. 'Two-feet finishing is really effective in college basketball, utilizing your shot fake, your pivots. But I think it's more valuable in college than it is in the pros,' Knueppel said. 'So that's why I've been working more on one-foot finishing creativity here this offseason. And more of those floater-type shots, midrange shots.' The safe bet is that Knueppel's floor is high as a knockdown shooter who makes quick decisions and busts his butt on defense. The upside play is if he keeps evolving off the bounce, because if that comes around you've got something scarier. We saw flashes of that player for the Blue Devils this season when projected top pick Cooper Flagg suffered an injury in the opening round of the ACC tournament against Georgia Tech. Without Flagg to generate offense, Knueppel ran a season-high 14 pick-and-rolls, dissecting the defense with fluid drives to the basket and lobs to another fellow projected lottery pick, center Khaman Maluach. Advertisement 'I didn't run ball screens very much in high school, even as the point guard my senior year. So I wasn't super familiar with all that,' Knueppel said. 'But once we started doing it at Duke, Khaman's a big target so it kind of came natural with him. If you're on defense and like there's a guard trying to play the low man, you're there but you're not really in position to stop Khaman from catching it.' Knueppel and Duke assistant coach Emanuel Dildy would watch film almost every day before and after practice, focusing on how to run the pick-and-roll. 'We were on the court working on that stuff every day,' Knueppel said. 'If it wasn't ball screen stuff, it was individual stuff: midrange, shooting, footwork.' The reps are part of it. But so is his mindset. What really sets Knueppel apart is how comfortable he is not being the guy who always needs the ball. When asked which four all-time players he'd want on the court with him in need of a bucket, down two points with seven seconds left, he picked Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kevin Durant, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Advertisement 'I'm gonna sit in the corner,' he laughed. 'Maybe a little Jordan drives and a little Steve Kerr.' That's not a throwaway line. That's a self-scout. Knueppel doesn't walk into a room and think he's the alpha. He walks in thinking about how to enhance his teammates and do what's required to win games. The truth is none of this should be surprising. He was raised in a basketball lab. Knueppel's earliest basketball memory came at home, playing full-court mini hoop games in the family playroom. 'Both my parents played, so they loved hoops,' he said. Knueppel's father, also named Kon, led Wisconsin Lutheran College to three-straight conference titles and was the program's all-time leading scorer. And to this day, his mother, Chari, is UW-Green Bay's all-time leading scorer and rebounder. Advertisement Kon is the oldest of five brothers — Kager, Kinston, Kash, and Kidman — basically making his childhood the Midwest version of the Ball family, minus the reality show and the shoe line. 'Even my extended family is a bunch of hoopers as well,' Kon said. 'It's pretty sweet. Those holidays, pickup games get competitive.' As long as he can remember, basketball has been a central part of his life. 'I was raised in a Christian family,' Knueppel said. 'I feel like it was my gift to play hoops. So just let my light shine and do the best I can do, because it's the gift I've been given.' For my full interview with Kon Knueppel, check out his appearance on my podcast, The Kevin O'Connor Show. You can watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'His dad's been trying to get him out of here for a while' - Andre Iguodala says Klay Thompson's dad had been asking his son to join the Lakers for years
Klay Thompson was always a Golden State Warrior — and it was meant to remain that way. From the moment he was drafted 11th overall in 2011, his loyalty was ensconced in the franchise's DNA. Across dynasties and droughts, Thompson stayed grounded in the Bay. No flashy trades, no sideline speculation, no rumors entertained. For over a decade, that loyalty never wavered. Father's conviction Not even his father could convince him to walk away from Golden State. Mychal Thompson, a two-time NBA champion and a proud Los Angeles Lakers veteran, tried. He tried hard. Advertisement "[Klay's] dad's a huge Lakers fan," said former Warriors star Andre Igoudala. "His dad's been trying to get him out of here for a while." Thompson Sr., who wore the purple and gold from 1987 to 1991 and helped the Lakers win back-to-back titles in '87 and '88, had long envisioned a homecoming of sorts for his son. After all, Klay was born in Los Angeles. He grew up in a basketball household drenched in Showtime glory. Now a broadcaster for the Lakers, he wanted his son in that jersey. When the younger Thompson hit free agency in 2019, Mychal reportedly urged him to explore his options. But Klay chose to stay at the Bay. Even after two grueling seasons lost to back-to-back ACL and Achilles injuries, even after Golden State missed the playoffs, he didn't budge. But Mychal never let up. The vision of his son in Lakers gold was a mission. It just never panned out. Klay's choice to spurn Los Angeles, despite the Lakers' championship pedigree and his father's influence, speaks to a different kind of legacy. He was building his own identity in San Francisco. Advertisement Related: "It's disappointing that so many relationships I had with people fell apart" - Bird on why he won't ever consider a front office role with the Celtics Thompson's path Drafted just two years after Stephen Curry and one year before Draymond Green, "Splash Brother" helped form the nucleus of a Warriors era that would redefine modern basketball. He was a sharpshooter and a foundational piece, both offensively and defensively. By 2015, he was a champion. By 2017, he had three rings. And in 2022, after a 941-day layoff, two devastating injuries and months of doubt, he came back to win his fourth. Few comebacks in NBA history have matched that kind of resilience. Advertisement One of the greatest shooters ever, he rode the Warriors' success only after enduring their pain. When the dynasty hit a wall in 2020 and 2021, when the team missed the playoffs entirely and fell from Finals contention to lottery hopes, he stayed present. That kind of commitment doesn't go unnoticed. "He did say something meaningful like he wanted to be like M.J.," Iguodala said. "He wanted to stay with the same organization for his entire career and he didn't want to be coached by anyone else." Yet sometimes, the story doesn't end the way it was supposed to. In 2024, negotiations between the Warriors and Thompson stalled. It came down to valuation. Golden State had younger priorities, a shifting roster and a tighter cap sheet. And so, he made a move. He signed with the Dallas Mavericks, opting to join Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in a fresh Western Conference pursuit. It was a practical decision, not an emotional one. A change of scenery, not a change of heart. Advertisement Over 11 seasons with Golden State, Thompson played in 793 regular-season games, scored over 15,000 points and made more than 2,200 3-pointers. He was a five-time NBA All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection and the owner of the single greatest shooting quarter in NBA history — 37 points in 12 minutes. More than stats, though, he represented the Warriors' soul. Related: "I'm probably never going to do it again" - Stephen Curry explains why he might never compete in the 3-point contest again
