Klay Thompson admits he’s not proud of 4 rings taunt to Devin Booker
Aug 8, 2023, 9:15 AM | Updated: 12:08 pm
Tempers flared and technical fouls were piling up during a game between the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors on Oct. 25 at Footprint Center.
Warriors star Klay Thompson was ejected for his second tech while exchanging words with Devin Booker, as he showed four fingers to represent his championship rings.
Nine months later, Thompson went on Los Angeles Clippers All-Star Paul George’s podcast, which posted on Monday, and admitted that moment with Booker did not age well.
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“I was in my feelings,” Thompson said. “I don’t need to be flexing four rings, bro. Everybody knows that. That’s on Wikipedia. My game wasn’t where it was at and we all get insecure at times. I’m man enough to admit that we all have our moments of weakness, I’m not really proud of that one.”
Good chance you won't see Klay flexing his 4 rings to opponents again 😂 pic.twitter.com/xOXLGZqfW6
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) August 7, 2023
He said Booker was bringing it that game — Booker finished with 34 points on 10-for-19 shooting and seven assists. Thompson had an off-shooting night at 1-for-8 with two points in 19 minutes, and the Suns won 134-105. At the time, Thompson said he let his emotions get the better of him.
He went on to give much praise to Booker on the podcast and his rise to becoming a franchise player on a playoff team despite early adversity.
“I see Devin Booker, and I should be proud of this young man,” Thompson said. “The work he’s put in. He survived a tough regime in Phoenix where everyone was getting traded and he had a new coach every year. Now he’s a franchise player because he just kept working. I admire guys who have work ethic like that.”
After the game, Booker said he admired Thompson and has for a long time, but that didn’t mean he was not going to compete and talk while doing it.
