Klay Thompson added a second NBA title to his resume on Monday night, but he played a different role than he did when he won his first ring in 2015.
If you ask Klay, though, he says he made no sacrifices in his role for the team's success. Instead, he's focused on leaving a legacy instead of being the go-to guy for the Warriors.
"I don't feel like I sacrificed at all," Thompson told ESPN. "I'd rather be a part of something that could leave a legacy. There is more to basketball than getting yours, or being the guy. I hope I do this for a long time for the Warriors."
After losing the 2016 NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State added MVP winner Kevin Durant to the fold to team up with two-time MVP winner Stephen Curry, which naturally forced Thompson into a different role with the team. But statistically, Thompson averaged a career-high 22.3 points per game and his role was rarely diminished.
Thompson's shooting efficiency was down this postseason, but he more than made up for it by controlling the defensive end of the floor. Golden State held opponents to just 101.0 points per 100 possessions when Thompson was on the floor, and he drew the tough assignment in the Finals of guarding the nearly unguardable Kyrie Irving.
The Warriors are set to sustain a long run of success with Durant and Curry running the show, but with players like Draymond Green and Klay Thompson comfortable taking on smaller roles it makes them nearly unstoppable on paper for the foreseeable future.
