Klay Thompson previously went off against bandwagon fans of the Golden State Warriors. But it sounds like he may be feelings a tinge of regret for his pointed comments.
The Warriors star spoke candidly after the team's practice on Tuesday. Klay Thompson was peeved over fans who apparently spoke negatively of veteran big man Nemanja Bjelica, which prompted him to call out fans who don't belong to the “real fans” category.
“Man, nobody is appreciated by the fans,” Thompson told ClutchPoints' Warriors reporter Mark Haynes. “Fans are so fans man. The real fans know.”
Klay Thompson later clarified what he meant about “real fans”. Those are the supporters who backed the Warriors prior to their ascent and championship runs fall into that category. But for Thompson, those who want the wins and team success but aren't there for the bad stretches are fans that he can live without and “don't deserve” to be in Dub Nation.
“I’m talking about the fans prior to winning championships who sat through many years of not winning,” Klay Thompson explained. “These new fans who come around and expect greatness and they weren’t anywhere to be found prior, we can forget about those folks. They don’t deserve to rep the Warriors.”
But after getting a chance to let his comments simmer, and also very likely being approached by someone from the Warriors PR staff, Klay Thompson has now gone back on his comments hating against bandwagon fans.
“Bandwagon fans are a good thing. That means you have turned people over to your style of play. So sorry if I offended anybody. Not my intention. We welcome all Warriors fans from around the globe,” said Klay Thompson on an Instagram live session while riding on what sounds like his famous boat.
Klay Thompson was likely just heated in defense of his Warriors teammate. He's long been one of the most beloved superstars in the NBA and an obvious fan favorite. That's probably not going to change anytime soon.
But his take on bandwagon fans isn'y exactly without merit. The Golden State Warriors had a dynastic run that few saw coming, with Thompson and Draymond Green as the perfect co-stars to the incredible rise of Stephen Curry. Then there were the three NBA Finals runs with another MVP in Kevin Durant.
Their style of play and their extremely marketable superstars paved the way for fans to come out in droves to rep the Golden State Warriors colors. But no dynasty lasts forever. Fans who came in during the championship years may have similar expectations even as the level of parity around the league has increased dramatically.
Although Klay Thompson is back and the team started off the season looking like the Warriors of old, injuries and inconsistent play brought the Dubs back down to earth. That's brought along scrutiny from fans and media alike as the team navigates murky waters in the lead up to the postseason. But if the Warriors can channel the same championship magic they once had, then the critics will have to stay silent. Here's top hoping Klay Thompson stays welcoming towards bandwagon fans if that happens.
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