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Kendra AndrewsESPN
SAITAMA, Japan — The Golden State Warriors‘ decision to hold Klay Thompson out of the team’s two preseason games in Tokyo didn’t come as a surprise for the shooting guard.
According to Thompson, the Warriors’ training staff informed him last week that it was unlikely he’d be able to play in the set of games against the Washington Wizards because he did not scrimmage at all over the summer.
“I didn’t play much this summer,” Thompson said Saturday. “With what I went through the last summer, I was healthy, popping my Achilles, it was really hard for me to get out of it, mentally. It’s hard to explain. It’s a mental block or something.
“I’m going to face it one day, but this season was so taxing, just coming back. It was hard to win a championship and then play a month later.”
On Friday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that sitting Thompson is out of an abundance of caution as the Warriors go through a condensed training camp.
“I am sad because I wanted to show these fans a great time,” Thompson said.
While Thompson isn’t playing in either of the Warriors preseason games in Tokyo, he still found a way to perform for the crowd.
Thompson participated in the 3-point shooting contest as a part of the NBA Japan Games Saturday Night, an event modeled after NBA All-Star Saturday Night. Thompson teamed up with Stephen Curry to form the most lethal shooting duo, beating out Moses Moody and Jordan Poole, Corey Kispert and Johnny Davis, and Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Schakel.
“I’ve gone against [Curry] twice in the 3-point shootout, so it was nice to have a combination of great shooting,” Thompson said.
The Warriors play their final game in Japan on Sunday at 1 a.m. ET.