Thompson's Nightmare Continues: Klay Thompson out for the season, again

What really shook the NBA in the early winter of 2020 was neither the somewhat mediocre draft nor the trade rumors surrounding Russell Westbrook and James Harden but the sudden news that Klay Thompson tore his right Achilles during an unofficial basketball practice. He will miss the entire 2020-21 season.

This is Thompson's second major injury in the last 18 months. He last played in an official game in Game 6 of the 2019 Finals more than 500 days ago. That game, scoring a game-high 30 points, Thompson burned the last of his energy, but his team failed to win. In his last moments, Thompson hobbled on the court, finished the free throws from the foul that caused his injury; and limped back to the locker room alone. Every move mirrored that of Kobe Bryant after he ruptured his Achilles in 2013. Thompson’s injury—a torn ACL in his left knee—forced the star to sit out the 2019-20 season. After a 17-month rehab, his injury finally healed, but his hopes to return to the court were once again destroyed.

Thompson's recent achilles tear has not only ruined the prime of his career but has also shattered the Warriors’ hopes of winning another championship. As soon as the injury was confirmed, the Warriors' odds dropped dramatically from +900 to +1400. Thompson’s next appearance in the NBA will occur in October 2021. By then, at almost 32 years old and not having played basketball for two years, how will Thompson be able to perform at an all-star level? No one knows for sure. What is certain, though, is that after suffering two devastating athletic injuries —a left ACL injury and a right torn Achilles’ tendon— Thompson will likely no longer be the all-star he once was when he returns.

Two serious injuries in less than a year-and-a-half will surely cause damage to his overall athleticism. Originally, after Thompson tore the ACL, people were still optimistic about his future in the NBA. After all, Thompson has never been a player who relies on his athletic ability. When his current knee injury heals, perhaps his speed will decline, but he should still be able to perform at a high level. What no one expected was that Thompson would suffer another serious injury so soon after recovering from an ACL tear. Unlike many other players who have suffered injuries, Thompson is an all-time great shooter. Throughout his career, he has shot nearly 40% from the three-point line. Even if this impressive percentage drops due to decreased athleticism, he can at least serve a role as a spot-up shooter and decent perimeter defender. Either way, however, it is unlikely that Thompson will ever return to his peak performance.

Thompson was born in the right time to become a great shooter and won threethree championships, but he also suffered the two worst possible injuries for a basketball athlete. Thompson, who gave everything he had to the Warriors and basketball, should not have had to suffer this kind of mental and physical pain. For now, he should continue to work hard to make a full recovery before returning to the court.