Warriors to honor Thompson's return by giving away 'Captain Klay' hats

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Which of Klay Thompson's returns will be more emotional for Dub Nation? His return 941 days after back-to-back season-ending injuries or this Tuesday's game when the former Warriors star returns home for the first time since signing with the Dallas Mavericks?

Either way, Golden State Warriors fans will be filled with emotions as Thompson comes back to the Bay Area, a place that he called home for 13 years and where won four NBA titles.

To honor the beloved franchise legend, the Warriors are giving away "Captain Klay" hats, similar to the one Thompson wore at the 2022 championship parade, Chase Center announced on social media. There will be a special pregame celebration to honor Thompson.

It will be the first time Thompson will share the floor with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green but not as teammates. Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million contract with Dallas in July.

“I don’t think I’ll really know until I get there to be honest,” Thompson said when asked about he’d react to the reunion. “It’d be good to see all the people I grinded with that’s for sure, especially the training staff because we had some … we got to know each other very well over those rehab stints, very well.”

The "Captain Klay" hat originated from Thompson's appearance in the Warriors 2022 championship parade. Clips of him went viral after knocking a woman over and doing a Michael Jackson dance.

Thompson wore captain hat at the celebration after losing his Warriors title hat in the San Francisco Bay. He had been known to ride a boat frequently in SF Bay waters -- even picking up Draymond Green to get his then-teammate from Oakland across the bridge when it was shut down due to a protest.

“With Klay, it’s not the records or championships or clutch shots that stand out the most from the last 13 years — it’s the truly unique relationship he developed with the Bay Area and our fans,” Warriors President and COO Brandon Schneider said in a statement. “He embraced Dub Nation and Dub Nation embraced him back. Warriors fans have laughed, cried, cheered and celebrated alongside him, and it’s only fitting that they get a chance to show their love and salute him in his return to the Bay.”

Thompson's return will be the first night of the Emirates NBA Cup, which is more commonly known as the in-season tournament. The Warriors and Mavericks tips off at 7 p.m. at Chase Center. It will be televised on TNT.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.