Klay Thompson Q&A: Talking All-Star, Warriors' potential, his dog Rocco
As Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson prepares to head to New Orleans for his third consecutive All-Star appearance, he took the time to reflect on his past, shed light on the present, and look ahead to the future in a wide-ranging phone interview with USA TODAY Sports.
Q: I heard that you have a love for chocolate milk, so it's obviously no coincidence that you're doing this Built With Chocolate Milk campaign. Can you tell me how this affinity for chocolate milk got started?
A: Yeah, well, I don't know anyone who doesn't like chocolate milk. It's delicious, first of all. I've been drinking it my whole life. ... It's a supplement I use consistently. Workouts, breakfast, night cap. I really enjoy it, because in my diet and my training, you need to fill yourself with good proteins, good energy, and that's what chocolate milk has, so I was lucky enough to be on board (with this campaign), because it is something I really have been drinking my whole life.
Q: When you were talking to (USA TODAY Sports' reporter) Sam Amick a couple of weeks ago, you told him that you want to capitalize on your career and increase your brand strength and that you picked up a lot of that from Steph (Curry). Why are you, at this point in your career, starting to focus more on building your brand off the court?
A: I still want to have some presence when I'm done playing, in hopefully 12-15 years, and still do business outside of basketball when the ball stops bouncing for me. ... Steph is going to be in this game for a long time just because he's a fun player to watch and such a great personality. I just try to learn from what he's done so well to get all these great brands. I'm trying to do the same. I'm trying to capitalize on our success with the Warriors and the fan love we get right now and just try to recreate that down the line when the ball stops bouncing for me. ... (More opportunities) are gonna come as I grow older. I'm just excited for what's in store, especially with the success the team is having, why not enjoy it and capitalize on it?
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Q: To segue onto the court, you, KD (Kevin Durant), Steph and Draymond (Green) just became the eighth four-man group from the same team to make the All-Star Game. But, for you guys, it's a little different from some of those guys in the past. Last time (in 2015) it was the Hawks, and none of those guys (Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, Al Horford) were starters, and probably only two of them would have been All-Stars on their own if they weren't on a team having a great season. For you guys, you could make the argument that all four of you would be All-Stars if you were put on any team. Can you, as best you can, give me a sense of what it's like to play alongside three legitimate All-Stars every night? There were all those questions about fit heading into the season, but the fit looks pretty damn good.
A: Man, it makes my life easy, I'll tell you that much. It can be any of us to go off every night. Draymond can get you a near triple-double every night. Steph can do his thing, just rain threes, push the pace. KD is probably the most effortless scorer I've ever played with — actually he is, not even close. It's such a unique situation. ... I mean, it's great. Especially, I see it on the road a lot, when we go to these other arenas. These guys have their individual fan base themselves, guys like Steph and KD, and then you pile that on top of the success our Warriors team has had, it's cool to see this fan base we have on the road. I used to see this while I was a kid with the Lakers. ... We don't take (being in this position) for granted. It makes an 82-game season a ton of fun.
Q: Do you think, at this point into the season, you guys are playing at your full potential? That's a scary thought, considering you're 44-8, tops in the league. But it's a serious question. How much more room do you think you guys have to grow?
A: I think we have a lot of room to grow, to be honest. We're only 52 games in as a relatively new unit. We still have a lot of things to clean up, still figuring out the nuances of how each other plays, but I'm really pleased with the 52-game start right now. You can't ask for much better than 44-8. Obviously we set the bar extremely high last year going 73-9. I don't think we're gonna eclipse that, but we can get close. If you win 68 to 70 games in a season, only a few teams have ever done that. ... When we're focused and playing with each other, I don't think we really can be beaten. But I still think we have another gear, to be honest.
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Q: With All-Star Weekend right around the corner, is this something that you legitimately look forward to? I know some players would just prefer to take the time off, get some rest, get away from basketball. But you're an All-Star vet now. Third straight year. First year, it was just you and Steph. Then it was you, Steph and Draymond. Now it's all four of you guys.
A: It's something I really look forward to, to be honest. A vacation would be nice, but I can wait until the offseason. To be considered one of the 24 best basketball players in the world? Yeah, I look forward to it. Especially being able to defend the three-point title again, that's gonna be a lot of fun. The All-Star Game was something I really loved to watch (as a kid), and now to be a part of it three years in a row is something I definitely look forward to. I'm trying to get used to it, because I will hopefully do this for a long time, because it truly is an honor to be an All-Star. My dad (retired NBA big man Mychal Thompson) always tells me (to take advantage), because he was never able to be an All-Star, so for him to tell me to take advantage, I most certainly will.
Q: What's your best memory from past All-Star Weekends? I know that might be hard to pinpoint just one, but if you had to.
A: I got two. This one's kind of combined, but the Three-Point Contest, me vs. Steph, two years in a row (2015 and 2016), was a lot of fun. (Last All-Star Weekend), being able to be around Kobe Bryant in his last year as an All-Star, in his 20th season, just because I grew up watching him and I wanted to be an NBA two-guard one day. ... To be there in his final chapter was surreal for me. That's when I felt like I really made it. It made me kind of reminisce about where time went as a kid, to now being an NBA player. So that was really cool for me.
Q: Is part of you a little disappointed Steph won't be back in the Three-Point Contest to try and take your crown from you?
A: I wish he was there, but I'm not disappointed. I know he's done it a lot. He needs his rest, man. ... We want him fresh come May and June. I'm not too hurt he's not doing it. It makes my life a little bit easier, get that crown again. The fans want to see it, but I mean, (I'll do it) at least one or two more times before my career's over.
Q: There's some solid three-point shooters in that competition, though. Who are you most concerned about giving you the toughest challenge to come for that crown?
A: C.J. McCollum is shooting at a really high clip this year. Wes (Matthews), this is our (second) time going against each other, so I know he's got the experience. Probably those two. I think those two are probably second and third as far as my biggest competition in the round.
Q: But you're putting your money on yourself?
A: I've got to. Gotta be confident.
Q: What about the Dunk Contest? I'm interested to see who you're taking. Obviously you've seen a lot of DeAndre Jordan, and it's no secret Aaron Gordon can fly. He showed that, specifically last year. But Derrick Jones Jr., man. I don't know if you've seen some of his highlights, but that guy can get up.
A: I have seen his highlights, they're ridiculous. I didn't even know who he was, but man, he can fly. I'm taking Aaron, but after last year, I don't know how Aaron can top that. But I'm still rolling with my Pac-10 guy in Aaron Gordon.
Q: Last question — I've got to ask — your love for (your dog) Rocco, obviously it's no secret, but I'm wondering how he got the name Rocco. Was it just something random? What's the story behind his name?
A: It was just kind of random, man. I was watching some type of Italian gangster movie and one of the guys was named Rocco. This burly guy, and Rocco is a big, stout, burly guy himself, so he just looked like a Rocco to me when I saw him as a bulldog. Rocco's great through. He's been a great companion of mine for five years now. Even at the chocolate milk shoot, the people at chocolate milk were so nice he was allowed to come with me, chill in the trailer. I try to take him everywhere I can. He's just a great friend. As the old adage goes, a dog is a man's best friend, I really believe that. ... He doesn't care if I win games or make three-balls. He just wants to be my friend, and I appreciate that about Rocco.
Q: Is he making the trip to New Orleans with you?
A: Too much flying for him. He's gonna chill in Cali. I'll get to spend a few days with him after, so he'll be all right.
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