SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Warriors star Klay Thompson would seriously consider playing for his father's native country of the Bahamas in the Paris Olympics next year.
“That'd be cool,” Thompson, 33, said at Monday's media day, “because my dad never got the opportunity.”
The Golden State guard won a gold medal with the U.S. team at the 2016 Rio Games and would have to go through several steps to become eligible to play for another country — such as having a passport from the Bahamas, being released by the Americans and receiving approval from the International Basketball Federation. Thompson's father was born in Nassau.
Veteran Suns guard Eric Gordon, whose mother is from the Caribbean country, joined the Bahamas national team as it tries to qualify for Paris.
A five-time All-Star who has helped the Warriors to four championships, Thompson finally feels like he will be his dominant self again after missing more than 2 1/2 years after the 2019 Finals recovering from surgeries for a torn ACL in his left knee then a torn right Achilles tendon repair.
He fully expects to be an All-Star again.
“I feel awesome. I feel like I can do anything with the ball in my hands,” Thompson said. “I think that’s the confidence you have to have if you want to be great.”
While chasing another championship and his personal goals are top priority for now, the Olympics clearly are on his mind and potentially in the plans.
“The Bahamas is a place where my story cannot be told without it,” Thompson said. “It's dear to my heart, so yeah, that would be sweet.”
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