Dallas Mavericks sharpshooter Klay Thompson received a heartfelt tribute during his return to the Bay Area on Tuesday, marking the first time he faced the Golden State Warriors since leaving the team.
Warriors fans wore white captain hats to honor their former star, and the emotional moment quickly went viral after being featured in a SportsCenter Instagram post.
"This was the best tribute for a homecoming game ever," said a commenter, echoing the sentiments of many fans who flooded social media with their reactions.
The moment was captured in an iconic photo of the entire Chase Center crowd wearing the captain hats, which garnered over 600,000 likes and thousands of comments.
— mydzn (@MadelaineDizon) November 14, 2024
“Actually a legendary picture ngl,” said another fan, highlighting how memorable the tribute was.
The visual was so powerful that even fans of other teams joined in the praise.
“I’m a Heat fan but I love to see other teams honor their players. It’s these kinds of things that make people root for them,” said another commenter.
“It’s moments like this that make basketball special,” noted another user, expressing appreciation for the love shown to Thompson.
Some fans also expressed regret that Thompson was no longer with the Warriors.
“One of the few current NBA players who should have NEVER worn another uniform," a follower shared.
Thompson’s emotional return to the Chase Center was marked by the Warriors’ employees, who greeted him with the same captain hats.
“That was really cool,” Thompson said. “I’m very grateful for the employees to give me that kind of love… totally unexpected and definitely put a smile on my face.”
During the game, Thompson scored 22 points, but it was Stephen Curry who stole the spotlight in the final moments, helping the Warriors secure a 120-117 victory over the Mavericks.
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