Warriors' Klay Thompson Feels 'Very Close' to Return from Injury, Wants Home Debut

Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images

Golden State Warriors star guard Klay Thompson told reporters on Friday he's close to returning from the torn right Achilles that has kept him out of action for over a year. 

And he wants to do it in from of his home fans:

Thompson, 31, last played in the 2019 NBA Finals. He tore his ACL in those Finals, the Toronto Raptors won the title in six games, Kevin Durant left that offseason to sign with the Brooklyn Nets and Thompson missed the entirety of the 2019-20 season. 

It was a tough year for the Dubs, but it didn't get much better ahead of the 2020-21 season. In November, as he was preparing to return to action from his ACL injury, Thompson suffered the torn Achilles during an offseason workout. That ended his season before it even began. 

Golden State qualified for a play-in seed but lost both of its play-in games, failing to reach the postseason for a second straight year. 

They'll end that streak this season. Even without Thompson to this point, the Warriors are still atop the NBA at 27-7. 

The question is whether Thompson can return at an All-Star level after missing two full seasons. Thompson is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, shooting 41.9 percent from three for his career, and was a key figure in Golden State's three titles. He was also a five-time All-Star.

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

If he can return anywhere close to that level of play, an already good Warriors team is going to be downright scary. Thompson certainly expects to eventually get back there:

Stephen Curry is playing at an MVP level, Draymond Green remains one of the most impactful players in the NBA and the Warriors have far more depth than they've boasted in recent years. The Warriors look like a dangerous team heading into 2022.