Klay Thompson has found his legs in Miami, and he credits the people pushing him.
The Miami Heat guard, 36, told Fadeaway World’s Mark Medina that the team’s training has him feeling younger. That interview came out a day after his 3-pointer with a second remaining in overtime beat the Los Angeles Clippers 117-116.
He laid out what Miami asks of him.
“The competitiveness in this organization is second to none. I feel incredible. I feel young again for how hard they train me,” Thompson said.
Running is a big part of it. The staff monitors his body-fat numbers and weight, and he’s cleaned up his diet.
After the Clippers game, he connected that work to Miami’s appeal.
“That’s why I’m so attracted to Miami. The culture is real. They really get the most of out you, especially at this stage of my career,” Thompson said.
Thompson finished with a season-high 30 points on 11-of-22 shooting, hitting 8 of 17 from deep in 35 minutes. It was his first 30-point game in a Heat uniform.
His season began badly. Over five early outings, he averaged 7.8 points on 31.7% shooting while Miami dropped its first four.
Since then, he’s averaged 24.7 points on 57.4% shooting and has made 19 of 36 3-point tries, with the Heat winning three of four.
Last season, as a Dallas Maverick, Thompson posted career lows of 11.7 points per game and 39.3% shooting from the field. He signed a two-year deal with Miami over the summer.
A five-time All-Star, Thompson won four titles with the Golden State Warriors, and Miami faces them next in the back half of a back-to-back.
“Hopefully I can continue the same flow because I made a lot of buckets in that building. And it’s fun to beat up on old friends,” Thompson said.
Golden State enters having won five straight, and Thompson is 3-3 against longtime teammate Stephen Curry in six meetings since leaving.