I’m not here to call into question the basketball skills of Klay Thompson. He is a phenomenal player and is having a heck of a career—but he just voiced one of the worst thoughts of the sports year.
After the biggest upset (per the spread at least) in the NBA since 2016, Klay Thompson was asked about the game and why the Golden State Warriors lost. And out of all the things he could have talked about, all the reasons he could have given, he says the home crowd didn’t give the team “enough energy.” He all but came out and blamed the fans for the loss!
WHAT?!
The Warriors lost. So what? Everybody has a bad day at work sometimes. It happens. As long as it isn’t consistent, you’ll be okay. But to take your bad day and blame it on external factors that have minimal impact on your performance?
That’s embarrassing.
For Klay Thompson, what if they had played in an empty arena? Who would he blame then—the air conditioner noise? I suppose he could. Maybe the hissing noise could ruin his focus.
We’ve heard players complain about booing fans. We’ve also heard players credit cheering fans for the win. But at the end of the day, whose hands were on the ball? Whose feet were on the court? What’s really happening, and whose responsibility is it? Is it up to the fans to cheer at a certain decibel level? Is that in the player contract? Or is it up to the actual players to outscore the other team?
It’s one of the most absurd statements I’ve heard a player make. Especially a three-time NBA Champion.
Give me a break.
Next time you have an off day at work, if you feel the urge to blame somebody or something else for your poor performance, just think about how ridiculous Klay Thompson sounded when he did it. Don’t embarrass yourself.
Are you ready to bring the “energy” that Klay Thompson is looking for by creating amazing content? Let’s chat.