The late Jerry West touched the lives of many people. His combined NBA career, which spanned over 60 years, allowed him to be a part of three different franchises, gave him a chance to work in their front offices, and helped take the respective teams to a new level. During the six years he served as the executive board member for the Golden State Warriors, the late icon reportedly formed a close bond with the franchise’s lead scorers, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson. A few days after West left for his heavenly abode, the impression that the two players left on him is being highlighted for everyone to hear.

Former NBA player and Klay Thompson’s father, Mychal Thompson, once again called in for an interview on KNBR Radio. During the conversation, the topic of interest shifted toward discussing Jerry West. Having been a part of the Lakers from 1987 to 1991, the veteran player knew the late legend’s impact on the franchise during his tenure. He expressed his sadness by stating that “Losing him is like losing a family member.”

At the same time, he was glad that West was present long enough to pass his wisdom on to the next generation, especially to his son, who joined the Warriors in 2011, the same as West did. Furthermore, Thompson Sr made it known that if he ever wanted to receive any genuine praise about Klay’s prowess, then he would certainly take it from the former GM. “Clearly Steph and Klay are the greatest backcourt of all time. And Jerry West said that about those guys,” Mychal Thompson said during the interview, adding, “For him to think that highly of Steph and Klay, you couldn’t get a better compliment.”

Thompson further highlighted ‘The Logo’s role in welcoming Klay Thompson into the Warriors, saying, “He’s the man who saved the Warriors dynasty. If it wasn’t for Jerry West, Klay wouldn’t have been a Warrior, he and Harrison Barnes would have been playing for Minnesota.” This remark referenced how, back in 2014, the Golden State Warriors were planning to trade off Klay Thompson in exchange for Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love. However, Jerry West strongly opposed the idea. There were even rumors circulating that the board member threatened to quit if the franchise went ahead with the deal. Former GM, Bob Myers, would later confirm that the situation didn’t get that heated. However, there was no denying that West was opposed to the idea of Thompson leaving.

Right from the start, Jerry West knew the potential that the duo of Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, also known as the Splash Bros, could possess. On the 12th of June 2014, exactly ten years before his death, West called out Curry to be a unique entity due to his ability to be an “unbelievable competitor and a great person.” “It’s going to get greater,” said ‘The Logo’ about Curry’s shooting abilities, continuing, “His parents did a heck of a job raising this kid. He’s so grounded, and the thing you don’t see about him — you see this kind of baby face, and this guy is really a competitor.”

Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry pay tribute to Jerry West

No sooner had the news broken about Jerry West’s passing when tributes started to flow in from every direction. The Splash Bros, who were aware of the respect the former player held for them, paid tribute by highlighting the player’s legacy in their own manner.

Klay Thompson took to his official Instagram account to highlight a story for his 17 million followers. It featured a photo of him sitting beside the late legend, with Thompson listening on as West supposedly provided some advice to the shooting guard. The heartfelt photo was accompanied by a message at the bottom, which read, “Gonna miss Mr West. A true pioneer of basketball and one of them ones”. Thompson closed off the message by adding a ‘GOAT’ emoji below it.

Stephen Curry took to his official X account to share a series of photos showcasing himself with the icon. As Curry grew up from being a young star to becoming one of the greatest players of the Warriors franchise, the images highlighted how West stood alongside the future four-time champion throughout the different phases of his career. Highlighting him as ‘The Logo’, Stephen Curry made it clear that he would be “Forever grateful to know him and be in his presence”. He highlighted how West did not just help him but “the entire world of basketball in so many ways.”

Before leaving, check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about WNBA star rookies Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.