Matt Barnes on Klay Thompson: “We had just won the Western Conference Finals. Everyone was enjoying everything, talking and eating and having a drink. And here’s Klay with two 9-year-olds at his locker, teaching them how to make paper airplanes and flying them across the locker room.”

Let’s be honest. This past NBA season missed one thing: Klay Thompson.

So The Athletic called up a dozen of Thompson’s teammates, former teammates and coaches and asked for their best stories.

Matt Barnes, guard: We had just won the Western Conference Finals. Everyone was enjoying everything, talking and eating and having a drink. And here’s Klay with two 9-year-olds at his locker, teaching them how to make paper airplanes and flying them across the locker room.

Jarrett Jack, guard: Only Klay, man. Only Klay.

Steve Kerr, coach: When I got the job, first thing I did was I called every player. Klay wasn’t responding to me. So I called Bob (Myers) and said, “Bob, I’m really worried that Klay, maybe he’s angry about the coaching change. He won’t call me back.” Bob just started laughing. He just said, “Welcome to Klay’s world.”

Marreese Speights, forward: We’d go to a city and he’d just hop off the bus and go to a CVS or Walgreens with a thousand people outside.

Barnes: That’s the randomness of Klay.

Lachlan Penfold, head of physical performance: All he wanted to do was shoot hoops and play with his dog.

Speights: He’d talk about his dog all the time. Or the Bahamas.

Jerry DeGregorio, assistant coach: It’s impossible to know him and not love him.

Festus Ezeli, center: Because Klay is very, very … pure.

Barnes: Klay is just Klay. He’s like a national treasure. https://theathletic.com/2779712/2021/08/23/the-randomness-of-klay-thompson-its-impossible-to-know-him-and-not-love-him/