Jason Kidd Shares How Kyrie Irving Influenced Klay Thompson’s Decision
When Klay Thompson made the choice to leave the Golden State Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks, it was clear that he believed his chances of winning another championship were better with the Mavericks. Ready to move forward in his career, Thompson sought a fresh start.
However, there were additional factors at play, including the influence of Kyrie Irving. In an interview with NBC Sports, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd discussed how Irving played a role in Thompson’s decision.
“Kai was able to share his experience as a player in Dallas over the past two years, giving Klay an honest perspective on what he could expect by joining the Mavericks,” Kidd explained.
Irving, having experienced success since his move to Dallas, was the ideal person to speak to Thompson. Although Irving had been with several teams before arriving in Dallas, his career took a positive turn with the Mavericks, who made it all the way to the Finals last season.
With firsthand knowledge of the advantages of playing in Dallas, Irving likely highlighted to Thompson what he could achieve with the Mavericks. Despite last season’s challenges, Thompson was still highly sought after by other teams, but his desire to win and the influence of Irving ultimately led him to choose Dallas.