Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson is back in China, which means it's time for #ChinaKlay to make rounds in social media again.
Thompson made another visit to East Asia in conjunction with his Chinese sports brand Anta, who sponsors the NBA athlete. After Thompson made the rounds on social media this time two years ago, the ever-viral Klay was handed a plush doll from a fan in China.
The stuffed toy is of Spongebob Squarepants character Patrick Star ā the starfish that bears an uncanny resemblance to Thompson.
A fan in Shanghai gifted @KlayThompson a Patrick Star doll. China Klay back with Anta. š
šø @Warriors pic.twitter.com/idHAwwBXVC
ā B/R Kicks (@brkicks) September 6, 2019
Thompson has a penchant for going viral, possibly due to the frequent national-television coverage the Warriors have in the last five years. It helps when Golden State runs through the Western Conference playoffs and reaches five consecutive NBA Finals.
As Klay's media profile rises, so does fans' ability to use the three-time NBA champion as an internet joke.
Two summers ago Thompson was in China and whiffed on a dunk while attempting to impress the gathered fans.
Klay Thompson went to China to show them what the talents of an NBA player look like in real life pic.twitter.com/DdxZFJ5ZUv
ā Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) June 24, 2017
Since then āChina Klayā has been coined, expressing the off-the-court antics of the sometimes stone-faced Thompson. When he's not on the court, Klay tends to loosen up. Thompson gladly accepted the toy gift, possibly recognizing how social media users photoshop his face on the cartoon character.
Thompson tore his ACL in the deciding Game 6 of the 2019 Finals against the Toronto Raptors. He will be sidelined indefinitely while two-time MVP Stephen Curry shares the backcourt with a new face: one-time All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell.
Despite Klay's injury, the Washington State product signed a five-year maximum contract with the franchise over the summer.
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