Four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson took to Instagram on Saturday, penning an emotional message to fans as he paid tribute to Golden State.

After spending his entire career with the franchise, both he and fans were left feeling emotional on the heels of the Bay Area legend signing with the Dallas Mavericks last week.

While we had previously seen Steph Curry pay tribute to Thompson on social media, sharing his 30 favorite photos, this time it was Thompson’s turn. In a lengthy post, Thompson thanked Golden State for some of the best years of his life.

Despite back-to-back championships and countless other memorable moments, Klay Thompson revealed that the best part of his time with Golden State was the friendships he made along the way.

There was plenty of sadness surrounding his departure after so many years with the franchise. But Thompson he urged fans not to cry because they’re over, but to smile because they happened.

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His post caught the attention of a number of notable names such as former teammates Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala. In addition, Steph Curry’s sister, Sydel Curry, posted a series of teary-eyed emojis. Thompson then responded to the comment, writing:

“Im not crying your crying”
Looking at Klay Thompson’s tribute to the Golden State Warriors, and reactions from former teammates
Klay Thompson’s tribute to Golden State on Saturday closed the book on his time in Golden State. While the sharpshooter had already signed with the Dallas Mavericks, fans have been eagerly awaiting Thompson’s farewell post to the Bay Area.

On Saturday, he delivered, sharing some of his favorite images from his time in Golden State. The first photo shows Thomspon holding his jersey prior to the start of his rookie season, which starts viewers on a nostalgic journey chronicling Thompson’s time with the Warriors.

In part, he wrote:

“The best part was not the rings though, it was the friendships I made that will last a lifetime . My family and I would like to thank all of the amazing people who work tirelessly to make the @warriors organization world-class. Don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened .”
Kevin Durant reacted to the post, writing:

“A Bay Area God. One chapter closes, another one opens. Keep doing u champ”
Hall of Famer Rick Barry, who won a title with the Warriors in 1975, also commented, on the post, writing:

“Thanks for all that you did for the Warriors during your time with them and I wish you all the best with Dallas.”
Thompson’s former teammate, Andre Iguodala also reacted to the tribute, writing:

“And we ain’t done yet!!”
The NBA is yet to release the 2024-25 regular season schedules, meaning it’s unclear when Klay Thompson will play his first game back in Golden State. When he does, however, the expectation is that the team will do a tribute video for him.