Golden State Warriors fans are used to seeing Klay Thompson shine on the basketball court. Saturday night, they had a very different Klay Thompson experience, as the injured player did brilliant broadcasting during the 118-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
He’s baaacckkkk❗️Reporter Klay joins the Warriors broadcast tonight in the 2nd quarter? pic.twitter.com/NsBR46TwPS
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) 30 January 2021
Klay was planning to pick up his previous tournament in the broadcast team, which would be a big order, given the great work he has done with bobblehead rankings. Thompson, who still has time shortly after tearing his ACL on Nov. 18, would join the Golden State TV broadcast in the second quarter of the year. However, he only made an appearance in the third quarter and when he did, he came in hot.
“Mic works. Mic is hot.”
Reporter Klay reports for service? ️
? @NBCSAegtig pic.twitter.com/J8lbl47tEh
– Golden State Warriors (@warriors) 31 January 2021
Klay then immediately brought his distinctive panache to the roll and gave this Steph Curry three-pointer the juice it needed.
“If he makes it, my goodness”
Reporter Klay x SC traits >>>>
? @NBCSAegtig pic.twitter.com/r1pWATsZG6
– Golden State Warriors (@warriors) 31 January 2021
Thompson also outlined his credentials and bona fides, making sure Warriors’ play-by-play announcer Bob Fitzgerald knows that Klay is finally coming for his job.
Klay is coming for Fitz’s job? pic.twitter.com/sUNGwJd573
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) 31 January 2021
He then supports it with a bit of play-by-play calling, which … is a work in progress.
Play by Play Klay is perhaps the best Klay yet pic.twitter.com/stUK4dCX4y
– Jared Wade (@Jared_Wade) 31 January 2021
With his full-time broadcasting career still well into the future, Thompson has made it clear that he will set the record for most three-pointers in the game.
Reporter Klay is already thinking about hitting 14 3s in a match pic.twitter.com/Tgr3r9SuLD
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) 31 January 2021
Where things really went to the next level, however, was after the game. Pistons player Rodney McGruder chatted a bit with Thompson and Klay ended the guy’s night here and now.
Customer Reporter Klay Thompson completely destroys Detroit’s Rodney McGruder after words were exchanged after the game: pic.twitter.com/BHGqAQ4KOL
– Awful announcement (@awfulannouncing) 31 January 2021
“This guy could be out of the league soon, he’s probably mad about it. Who knows. “OW. He later added:” He was trying to start something here, as if he was a good player of something. ” MY BEST.
And then we come to what is possibly Klay’s strongest case, the post-match interview. Thompson talks to Curry and makes sure he only asks the hardest questions to get the answers no one else can get.
Klay and Steph together again? pic.twitter.com/5yYG5tEXpz
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) 31 January 2021
Reporter Klay asks Steph when he’s going to break Ray Allen’s record. pic.twitter.com/5UTYG2MQx5
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) 31 January 2021
Eventually, Thompson ended the whole experience by literally walking away after not getting the answer he wanted …
Reporter Klay raises a run-off question for Curry? pic.twitter.com/cZOiCAVizZ
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) 31 January 2021
All in all, it’s an extremely entertaining way to watch an NBA game and use a fun personality that should somehow connect with the audience. We guess we’ll still see a lot of #ReporterKlay until the day Thompson can return to court soon.
In the meantime, we can start thinking about what the statue of Klay Thompson will entail.
Klay says at this rate his statue will be him in a suit with reporter Klay behind him pic.twitter.com/zwBVWMzVQM
– CJ Fogler 6’7 “IQ 269 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) 31 January 2021
[Golden State of Mind]