Warriors star Klay Thompson suffers devastating ankle injury and will miss his SECOND straight season after tearing a knee ligament in 2019
The Golden State Warriors will be without All-Star Klay Thompson for a second consecutive season after he tore the Achilles tendon in his right leg while rehabbing the left knee injury that caused him to miss the 2019-20 campaign.
The Warriors announced that Thompson, 30, suffered a lower leg injury on Wednesday just hours before the team selected Memphis center James Wiseman with the second-overall pick in the NBA Draft. On Thursday, the team revealed that Thompson's injury is a torn Achilles tendon, which will take an entire season to rehabilitate.
'Klay Thompson suffered a torn right Achilles tendon, an MRI confirmed today in Los Angeles,' read the team statement. 'Thompson suffered the injury in a workout yesterday in Southern California. He is expected to miss the 2020-21 season.'
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Thompson was told he is expected to make a full recovery.
The Golden State Warriors will be without All-Star Klay Thompson for a second consecutive season after he tore the Achilles tendon in his right leg while rehabbing the left knee injury that caused him to miss the 2019-20 campaign
Thompson hasn't played since tearing his left ACL during the 2019 NBA Finals, but did sign a five-year, $190 million with Golden State a month later in anticipation of his return
The 'Splash Brothers' (a play on the former Oakland A's sluggers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, known as the 'Bash Brothers') are comprised of longtime teammates Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry . The two have not played together since 2019 due to injuries
Thompson rival LeBron James offered the Warriors guard his prayers before the Achilles tear was revealed on Thursday
Warriors forward Draymond Green also offered his prayers for Thompson on social media
Unfortunately for Warriors fans, the injury means a second consecutive season without their notorious 'Splash Brothers' backcourt pairing of Thompson and Stephen Curry, who also endured injury problems for much of the 2019-20 season.
Thompson's injury did not appear to affect the draft strategy of general manager Bob Myers, but it may have prompted him to acquire veteran forward Kelly Oubre Jr. in a trade from Oklahoma City, Wojnarowski reported Thursday evening.
Golden State has won three titles and reached five NBA Finals with the Splash Brothers and coach Steve Kerr, but the team already lost Kevin Durant to free agency in 2019 and have battled injuries ever since.
Warriors GM Bob Myers could trade veterans like Stephen Curry to build around seven-foot center James Wiseman , whom he took with the NBA Draft's second pick
'I guess this business teaches you to wait to hear for sure on any of these things,' Myers said Wednesday before the severity of Thompson's injury was revealed.
'Obviously dealing with some of the injuries we've dealt with in the last couple years, it doesn't harden you, it doesn't make it easier but I was hoping we were through all that.'
Both Green and Thompson rival LeBron James offered their prayers over social media, while many fans and reporters lamented another season without the celebrated Splash Brothers.
Thompson's descent into injury purgatory began during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, when he tore the ACL in his left knee, sidelining him for the following season.
Despite that injury, Myers still signed Thompson to a five-year 'max' deal worth $190 million in July of 2019.
Now, the earliest Thompson could possibly return is the beginning of the 2021-22 season.
Mail Sport's Nathan Salt was one of many who lamenting the Splash Brothers' absence
