Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson returns to practice for first time since 2019 NBA Finals

Kyle Irving

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Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson returns to practice for first time since 2019 NBA Finals image

The Golden State Warriors are taking baby steps to get back to full strength.

Superstar guard Klay Thompson, who suffered a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, has made his return to the practice floor for the first time in over 15 months.

Thompson missed the entire 2019-20 season rehabbing his torn ACL and was absent on the Warriors' first day of voluntary offseason minicamp due to the NBA's testing protocol. On Friday, he made his highly anticipated return to the floor.

Unfortunately for Thompson, he'll have to wait for a full reunion with teammates like Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, who are listed as doubtful for Golden State's minicamp due to family reasons.

Nonetheless, it was great to see video clips surface on Twitter of Thompson getting some on-court work in for the first time in quite some time.

Following practice, head coach Steve Kerr had called it a "sight for sore eyes" to see the five-time All-Star back on the court.

"Number one, it was great to see him. A sight for sore eyes… It’s been a long time coming," said Kerr.

"It was great to have him out on the floor, in the locker room. Just his presence alone gave us a jolt of energy and excitement. And then, practice went well. This is the first practice coming off an ACL injury and a year and a half absence, so I didn’t expect him to be in top shape, in top form — and he was not, but he moved well, and it’s a good first step."

In the 2018-19 season, Thompson played in 78 of 82 regular season games, averaging 21.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists, shooting 46.7% from the field and 40.2% from 3-point range. Throughout Golden State's run to the NBA Finals, he averaged 20.7 points while shooting a slightly more efficient 44.3% from beyond the arc.

While it's still unclear exactly when the 2020-21 NBA season will tip off, this is an encouraging sign that shows Thompson will likely be a part of the Warriors' opening day lineup whenever that may be.

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Kyle Irving

Kyle Irving Photo

You read that wrong – not Kyrie Irving. From Boston, graduated from the University of New Hampshire. Sixth season as a content producer for NBA.com's Global editions. Covering the NBA Draft has become his annual "dream come true" moment on the job. Irving has a soft spot for pass-first point guards, with Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash being two of his favorite players of all time.