Chase Center is ready. The captain’s hats are out. And it’s time for Klay Thompson to finally return to the Bay Area, for the first time in a uniform other than the Warriors’. Sure enough, it is going to be an emotional night for everyone involved and although it’s just a regular season game, the tension is palpable because of what the moment signifies. But amid the highly anticipated homecoming, Kyrie Irving has vowed to play his role as a teammate and make the situation easier for Captain Klay.

As per TNT’s Allie LaForce, Kyrie made a promise to Klay on this special night, “I’m gonna be the best teammate that I can be for you.” He also had advice for the veteran sharpshooter: “Just enjoy the moment and really feel the love that you’re getting from this fanbase because you put in the work and you deserve it.” Obviously, Klay has earned every bit of the love and respect he will get tonight by giving 13 years of his career to this franchise and leading them to four championships.

While Allie pointed out that there are a lot of internal factors that might have caused ‘tension and anxiety’ and led to Klay’s departure, he will still get a hero’s welcome on his return tonight.

Moreover, Kyrie was shocked to see how zoned in KT was ahead of the game. “Nah, he’s really focused. He’s really focused. He’s locked in. So, anything I can do to be great teammate to him, that’s what I’m gonna do including everybody here.”

Sure enough, Uncle Drew understood the gravity of the sharpshooter’s comeback to his old home, considering that he had a tough TD Garden crowd to please in the NBA Finals last season. “We feel the emotions, we feel the heaviness of it. But this is what makes sports great too, you know. Just moments like this. Grateful that we can experience together.” But how is Klay Thompson feeling about his return to the Bay Area?

Klay Thompson calls Bay Area return “just another regular season game”

Unlike everyone else who is hyped about Klay’s return, the sharpshooter is trying his best to play it down. He said, “It will be good to see people that you grinded with obviously, but to me, it’s just another regular season game in November.” Surprisingly, he was more focused on the game being the Mavs’ first group stage encounter of the Emirates NBA Cup, “That’s what’s in my mind is to win that because I haven’t been a part of it yet. I know it’s young, but be fun to play for that title.”

Maybe, Klay is not building up the moment in his head because it will only put added pressure on him. And he will be looking to have a solid performance tonight because the last time he played for the Warriors, he went 0 of 10 in the Play-In game against the Kings. He reassured everyone that he was not going to let his emotions get the better of him tonight, saying, “I’ve been doing this a long time and basketball is basketball.”

Even Mychal Thompson resonated with his son’s decision to maintain a ‘poker-face’ stance through all this. He admitted that this was definitely a ‘special day’ for the former Splash Bro, but “players say that just to temper their emotions, not to get too caught up and too overhyped, and then you get out of your game.”

Do you think Klay will be able to back his words when he finally steps on the hardwood?