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[Saba Sports News] Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd shared insights into how the team recruited Klay Thompson this summer, highlighting Kyrie Irving’s pivotal role in sealing the deal.
“When it comes to recruitment, a lot of people were involved, but Kai played a huge part. Player-to-player, Kai shared his experience in Dallas over the past two years and gave Klay an honest perspective on what he could expect by joining the Mavs. It was a team effort, but in this league, players recruiting each other is key, and this was about Kai and Klay connecting directly.
“I also think Klay did his homework, understanding the situation. It would’ve been easy for him to stay with the Warriors or elsewhere in California, so he really had to put in the work to see what Dallas had to offer.”
Irving’s recruitment of Klay became public before Klay signed with the Mavericks. With the Lakers and LeBron James heavily pursuing him, Irving had to show Klay just how much the Mavs wanted him. Both players entered the NBA in 2011 and were rivals for years, fostering a competitive respect.
After facing various challenges on and off the court, Irving found redemption with the Mavericks, where he averaged 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists last season as the Mavs reached their third NBA Finals appearance.