Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson has recently drawn attention due to his widely discussed free agency. While his future with the Warriors is still uncertain, he has found a temporary team to connect with: the Bahamas National team.
On Tuesday, Thompson was spotted scrimmaging with the team, joined by several other NBA players during their training camp in Houston.
Klay Thompson playing with the Bahamian National Team
Thompson teamed up with fellow NBA players Portland Trailblazers’ Deandre Ayton, Philadelphia 76ers’ Buddy Hield, and Phoenix Suns’ Eric Gordon on its roster.
Klay Thompson's Bahamian heritage comes from his father, former NBA champion Mychal Thompson, who was born and raised in the Bahamas. While Thompson is taking part in the Bahamian team's training camp, it's worth noting that he may not be eligible to play for them during the 2024 Olympic Qualifiers, according to a recent article from The Athletic.
Thompson, who secured a gold medal with Team USA in 2016, would need an official release from USA Basketball and approval from FIBA to be eligible to play in the Olympic qualifiers and future competitions for Team Bahamas. However, this approval is not expected to be granted.
Free agency woes for the Warriors guard
The schedule also presents challenges. The Bahamian national team is scheduled to fly to Greece for two exhibition games—against Montenegro on June 25 and Greece with a potential of having Giannis Antetokounmpo on June 27. This will be followed by the Olympic qualifying tournament in Spain, starting on July 2.
This timing conflicts with the peak of NBA free agency, which kicks off on June 30. Thompson, a major name on the market, faces an uncertain future with the Golden State Warriors. For the first time in his career, he appears interested in considering opportunities outside of his current team.
Even if Thompson were to verbally commit to a new deal with the Warriors—or negotiate with Orlando or another team once free agency officially opens at 6 PM ET on June 30—he wouldn't be able to sign a new contract until July 6.
Considering Thompson's history of serious injuries, it would be extremely risky for the 34-year-old to participate in international basketball before finalizing a signed contract.
A symbolic occasion for the Bahamas
However, Thompson's participation in the training camp is anticipated to be a symbolic occasion, marking a significant moment in the history of Bahamian basketball.
The team earned its place in this stage last summer in Argentina, achieving an upset victory over the host country thanks to standout performances from Gordon, Hield, and Ayton.
In addition, Anta, the sporting goods company sponsoring Thompson, will also sponsor the Bahamian team and supply them with gear.
Bahamas Olympic Qualifying Tournament foes
The Bahamas can only secure a spot in the Olympics by winning a six-team qualifier, which includes host Spain, as well as Angola, Finland, Lebanon, and Poland.
Utah's Lauri Markkanen's shoulder injury, which affected him towards the end of the season, will keep him from representing Finland. This situation suggests that The Bahamas, even without Thompson, could become Spain's primary competitor in the tournament.
Gordon, Hield, and Ayton are anticipated to participate again this summer. There's a possibility that Kai Jones, another NBA player and former first-round pick, may join the team.
The Bahamian team also boasts a promising pool of young talent. V.J. Edgecombe, projected as a 2025 lottery pick, will be part of the training camp, along with AJ Storr, a guard at Wisconsin, and Donavan Freeman, a top prospect set to attend Syracuse in the upcoming fall.
The Bahamas team is coached by Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco.
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