Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson is one of the best quotes in the NBA, but getting him to actually give those quotes is apparently a ton of work. Warriors vice president of communications Raymond Ridder detailed to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle just how difficult it can be to get Thompson to talk to the media:
“The hardest part of my day,” Ridder said, “is getting Klay (Thompson) to talk to media.”
After most practices, Ridder plants himself in front of the door to the weight room, a few feet from where Thompson completes his shooting routine. As soon as Thompson hoists his final jumper, Ridder, who’s 5-foot-6, scurries to Thompson’s side to detail that day’s interview schedule.
Sometimes, Thompson (who’s 6-7) shakes his head, grumbles a few inaudible words and escapes to the weight room. But most days, after a minute or two of convincing, Thompson relents. That’s when the sound bites come.
Thompson is a simple, laid-back dude who will say whatever is on his mind. While he may not like talking to the media, he provides great quotes because he doesn't really care what anybody else thinks. He doesn't pay attention to viral reaction to his quotes, so he just fires away when asked questions.
That sounds a lot like how Thompson plays on the court. He plays a simple game and loves to fire away from the outside. He has had his fair share of struggles this season, but he has repeatedly shrugged those off, with some great quotes of course.
When it comes down to it, Klay Thompson just doesn't pay attention to outside noise. He's going to do things his way no matter what.