The buildup to the Dallas Mavericks playing in the Bay Area is intense. There’s a lot of prediction and anticipation about what it would be like to have Captain back in San Francisco again. One faction thinks this is Klay Thompson’s villain origin story. Dallas fans are afraid he would get booed in his old home for leaving. Dub Nation wonders if he’s holding a grudge. However, the Golden State Warriors are ready to roll out the red carpet for Klay. Players like Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley know exactly how it feels to return to an old team as a possible villain.

Both Shaq and Chuck can agree that Klay Thompson is no villain of the Bay Area. The team is making an event out of it, distributing 18,000 captain hats to the audiences tonight, playing an emotional welcome video, and more. They confirm Shaq and Chuck’s verdict that Klay is loved in Golden State. They, however agreed to disagreed on what kind of game it will be.

It was a different time when Chuck returned to Philadelphia as a rival for the first time. He thought he was going to get booed but received a warm welcome instead. He believes it would be the same for Thompson. According to him, the toughest time is when they arrive in the city but there’s a way to cope. “The night before is the worst. He probably went out with friends last night. He might’ve even went out with Steph [Curry].” 

Similar to Thompson’s trajectory so far, Charles Barkley left the 76ers in 1992 on bad terms. He was frustrated with the team at that point. After signing with the Suns, he played against his former team in Philadelphia for the first time on March 28, 1993.

He even confirmed when he returned to Philly after signing with the Phoenix Suns, he went out with his old friends of eight years and welcomed with hugs. It threw him off a bit. “I had built up all this rage, and all the people I had seen for eight years are coming up, giving me a hug and everything. I’m like, ‘Charles, calm down, you got this, it’s a big game for you. You got to make sure y’all win.'”

Barkley did calm down. He was on his MVP season, leading the Suns to a 110-100 victory on his old turf against his old team. He lit up the Sixers with a 35-point performance but the highlight was Philly loving Sir Charles back for one night. One Sixers fan ran up to him for a hug after the game and the Philadelphia crowded chanted MVP for him.

Who knows if Barkley is right and Klay and Steph did catch up the night before the game. But he might be right that the Dubs are going to give him the same treatment he got in Philadelphia on March 28, 1993. Shaq agrees but with a slight difference.

Shaq’s villainous arc made him cold

Even Shaquille O’Neal has left Orlando and Los Angeles on bitter notes. And he confirmed on the first game as an opponent of both teams, he was booed because he was the villain. But he denies it would be the same for Klay Thompson.

“Klay is well-respected. If he does play with animosity tonight, it would be towards the management. Him and Steph. his brother. Him and Draymond [Green] is coll. Probably a little mad at Steve Kerr for not sticking up for him. But I don’t really think it’s going to be that type of game,” Shaq said.

While Barkley said it will be emotional when the Warriors play the welcome video for Thompson. Shaq is insistent it will be a regular emotionless game. We’d have to see who’s right.