Klay Thompson did not hold back on Saturday night, delivering one of his sharpest public criticisms yet after a tense on-court run-in with Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant.
The confrontation unfolded moments after Memphis’ 102-96 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Morant, sidelined with a calf injury, approached Thompson on the court and exchanged words before being pulled away by teammates and coaches.
He didn’t stop there. Morant later interrupted Cam Spencer’s post-game interview, saying, “Tell ’em who the best shooter in the house was, it wasn’t bro from Golden State.”
Spencer finished with 17 points and went 3-5 from deep.
Thompson, however, led Dallas with 22 points while knocking down 6 of his 12 attempts from long range.
Klay was asked about the confrontation after the game.
“He’s a funny guy,” said Thompson of Morant. “He has a lot to say, all the time, especially for a guy who rarely takes accountability. But you know what, that’s for another day. Nothing of intelligent depth. It was really just his running his mouth. He’s been running his mouth for a long time.
“It’s funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench,” Thompson added. “It’s kind of been the story of his career so far, leaving us wanting more. We all want to see him out there and do his best. He’s just been letting a lot of other stuff get in the way of that … We need our best [NBA] players to be out there. When you’re a star, it comes with a great responsibility. I hate to see that go to waste.”
Saturday’s flare-up is only the latest chapter between the two, dating back to their fiery Western Conference playoff clash in the 2022 postseason.
Morant’s off-court history and extended suspensions, including eight games following an incident on Instagram Live and 25 games for a later gun-related video, were not mentioned by name, but Thompson’s message was unmistakable.
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