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"I was a Warriors fan" - Cooper Flagg gushes over growing bond with Klay Thompson
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- "I was a Warriors fan" - Cooper Flagg gushes over growing bond with Klay Thompson
Many younger players today have witnessed the Golden State Warriors revolutionize and dominate the NBA with their explosive and free-flowing 3-point offense. One of them is Cooper Flagg .
Flagg was nine years old when he watched the Warriors , led by the Splash Brothers in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson , grab their first of four titles after dismantling LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015 Finals. Like many, he became enamored with them, which makes his relationship with a now-veteran Thompson that much sweeter.
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"A lot of years in a row, watching them play, yeah, I have a lot of memories. Just being a fan of basketball in general. I was a fan of the Warriors, so I feel like you picked a side in those matchups, and I was a Warriors fan. Watching him (Thompson) growing up, it was crazy," Flagg revealed .
Flagg on Thompson's mentoring
Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks last year after spending 13 years as a Warrior. For Flagg, the opportunity to be mentored in his rookie season by a revolutionary player with as much success as Thompson is priceless.
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"It's been amazing to just be alongside Klay this year. Seeing his leadership, for him to just be out there every night, playing and being amazing for us. Obviously, he's been shooting lights out lately, and he's been really hot. It's been such a pleasure to play alongside him," said Flagg.
"He just leads by example, just showing up and putting his work in. Just giving us advice and I think that's been a big thing, from the start, giving me a lot of advice and making sure that I'm not putting too much pressure on myself or whatever it is, just helping me take some of that load off," he added. "He's been a great leader, a great vet, it's been a great year getting to know him and playing alongside him."
Flagg's adoration for Thompson and the Warriors dynasty comes from their explosive and exciting style of play. The long-range exploits of the Splash Brothers became the foundation for the modern game and have cemented their place in basketball history.
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"It was just entertaining basketball. Obviously, that one team was probably one of the greatest teams of all time, if not, the greatest, " Cooper said. "Modernizing the game, shooting the ball at a high level. Those guys, Steph and Klay, it was just entertaining."
Klay loves being a vet
Aware of his veteran status, Thompson has accepted his role as a veteran presence for Dallas and its top rookie.
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"It's surreal. It makes me realize how fast time has gone and how fast it does go by when you're having fun and you're doing what you love, and a lot like even when Cooper, he told me he was nine years old when he watched me in the 2015 NBA Finals, and that just puts so much into perspective. I just feel so honored to be still out here, playing at a high level," Klay stressed.
Thompson has battled injuries recently and has been averaging his career-low numbers in points (11.4) and 3-point percentage (35.8). Despite this, he enjoys every chance he gets to play the game he loves — even stamping his the next goal for his storied career.
"My next goal is to do a thousand regular season games," added Klay. "So for me, I'm just enjoying every day, being able to put these sneakers on and run up and down the court and be a great teammate. Pro sports are hard, it's having longevity, it's hard, especially with the style of play in these games, it's so much pace and space. It just takes great commitment to get to this point and I'm excited to be the veteran in this team, it's a true honor."
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A new era has arrived in Dallas. Despite the Mavericks being 15-25 at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, Flagg is looking like the next big thing in the Association, averaging 19.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 47.7 percent from the field.
Thompson may not be the player he was with the Warriors, but his mentorship is going to be crucial for the development of the 19-year-old franchise star.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
