Klay Thompson put his hands up when it came to taunting Devin Booker.
On a recent episode of the “Podcast P with Paul George,” George brought up Thompson’s chirping ways.
“You low-key a trash talker,” George said.
“Yeah,” Thompson agreed.
George asked what Thompson’s “favorite bar” was that he did to someone in the NBA, while putting up the four fingers for four NBA championship rings — a reference to what Thompson did to Booker during a game in Oct. 2022.
“Yeah, I was in my feelings though and Book was busting my ass that day. I was not where I needed to be. God,” Thompson, 33, said shaking his head. “You know stuff doesn’t age well and that didn’t age well for me.
“I don’t need to be flexing four rings, bro, like everybody know that. That’s on Wikipedia. My game wasn’t where it was at and we all get insecure at times.”
The Warriors fell to the Suns 134-105 and Thompson was ejected for the first time in his NBA career.
It’s a moment he doesn’t look back on with pride.
“I’m man enough to admit that we all have our moments of weakness. I’m not really proud of that one. ‘Cause I see Devon Booker and I should be like, man, I should be proud of this young man. The work he’s put in,” he said. “He survived a tough regime in Phoenix where everyone gettin’ traded, he’s playing for a new coach every year but now he’s a franchise player ’cause he just kept workin’. So, I admire the guys who have work ethic like that, you know?”
The five-time All-Star won all of his four NBA championships with the Warriors in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022, along with star teammates Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala.
Booker and Thompson have yet to meet in the playoffs.
This past season, the Warriors lost in the Western Conference semifinals to the Lakers 4-2 while the Suns have been on the uptick in the past few seasons.
Phoenix made it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993 in the 2020-2021 season against the Bucks, losing in six games.
Since then it has reached the Western Conference semifinals twice, most recently losing to the 2023 NBA champion Nuggets last season.