Warriors’ Klay Thompson Says Compliment From Larry Bird ‘Means the World’ to Him

It's been a tough year for Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, who has struggled to find his past All-Star form and has been relegated to an unfamiliar sixth-man role all while dealing with questions about his contract situation and trade rumors. 

But Thompson has adjusted well to the bench role, sparking the Warriors' with his improved play, undoubtedly a confidence-booster for the 10-year NBA veteran. 

Thompson got another boost in confidence thanks to a recent compliment he received from Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Bird at the NBA All-Tech Summit. Bird said that Thompson "has always been one of my favorite players," with the Boston Celtics legend proceeding to marvel at Thompson's shooting and scoring ability. 

When asked about Bird's comments, Thompson said that he has the video of Bird on his phone, and that it "means the world" to him, per Sam Amick of The Athletic. 

“I’ll put that [compliment] in the same category as when Kobe called me and Steph great players with that killer instinct [in 2016]. It means the world to me," Thompson said. 

It has to feel good for Thompson to receive such praise from Bird, widely regarded as one of the best shooters and competitors the NBA has ever seen. Hearing that from Bird might help ease some of the difficulties Thompson has dealt with this season. 

The Los Angeles native is averaging 17.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 37.2 percent from beyond the arc. The Warriors have won 10 of their last 13 games and currently sit at 10th in the Western Conference.