Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson dribbles during an NBA basketball practice, Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Oakland, California. AP PHOTO/Marcio Jose Sanchez
The seemingly overpowered roster of the Golden State Warriors is once again primed to repeat as champion in the upcoming NBA season and could very well be on its way to establishing a dynasty.
READ: NBA: Warriors to repeat as champs, LeBron to win MVP, GM survey says
With the likes of superstars Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson all in one team, it’s not hard to envision the Bay Area franchise to win its third championship in four years.
In a recent interview with ESPN’s Nick Friedell, the Dubs’ sweet-stroking shooting guard Thompson couldn’t help but compare his squad to perhaps the greatest dynasty the league has ever seen, the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls of the ’90s.
“What’s that, six championships in eight years?” he said. “So we’re, what, like only a third of the way there? I think it’s close. We still have a long way to go, but I do see the fandom, the fanfare like the Bulls had in the ’90s.
The Warriors, of course, are no strangers to eclipsing the Bulls’ historic records, having topped the team’s 72-win regular season in 2016.
“It was cool a couple years ago when we were chasing that 73-win season,” Thompson recalled. “Just being compared to that team is an honor. There’s definitely motivation. I would love to match up, play against Michael Jordan. That would be a dream. Obviously we don’t have a time machine, but that would be pretty special to see that. There’s definitely motivation to leave that type of legacy.”
But despite their historic regular season run that year, the team failed to capture the Larry O’ Brien trophy after squandering a 3-1 series lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Still, the 27-year-old dead shot believes his current team is still the closest comparison to Jordan’s Bulls team.
“Every time the Bulls came to town that was the ticket of the year. Now it’s when the Warriors come to town, that’s the must-see game,” he explained. “And we don’t take that for granted; that’s such a cool position to be in. We rarely play in front of a crowd that’s not sold out. That’s so special. It’s hard to really grasp that as a player. So I think it’s close, I still think we’re not on their level yet, but that’s what we aspire to be of the 2000s. We aspire to be that dynasty that will be in the minds of NBA fans forever.” Khristian Ibarrola /ra