Dallas Mavericks
Starter
Klay Thompson wants the 2011 Mavericks title run to be a daily motivator: “They exemplified what a team really is”
Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...ivator-they-exemplified-what-a-team-really-is
It takes someone who’s been there to understand what it takes to win. And Klay Thompson has been there four times, more than almost anyone else in the league and definitely more than anyone else on the Dallas Mavericks.
With four championships, he ties only three other current players for most rings in the NBA: LeBron James, Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
This makes the Maverick sharpshooter an incredible asset for this team, if he wants to share his knowledge and be a veteran leader for the group, especially when it comes to the mental aspect of going all the way. And as it turns out, that’s exactly what Klay Thompson has his mind set on to start this season.
During Dallas Mavericks Media Day Monday, Klay Thompson was quick to mention how much the 2011 Mavericks championship team meant to him, and how they inspire him to this day:
“I watch the 2011 Championship movie all the time. And I remember that run so vividly. I remember the performances by Dirk, by Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, J-Kidd running the point. Any NBA fan of my age remembers that run so much because that team, they might not have been the most talented throughout that playoffs, but they exemplified what a team really is. Every player on that team knew their role. They knew who was their closer. They knew what spots to operate best in. That inspires me. That’s what I want. I want to feel that again,” Thompson said.
Reminiscing on the 2011 Championship@ATT // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/2AmtoNiO8E
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) September 29, 2025
Highlighting the team aspect and the desire to experience a run like that again, he also shared how he wants to help the young guys get there, using his own experience to mentor the next generation:
“I remember being a young player in this league, and you are so impressionable from what you see the veterans do. And I want to lead by example, I want to show him (Cooper Flagg) how much it means to me,” he said to Fox 4 DFW later.
And then he continued with one of the strongest quotes from this past week:
“As he (Flagg) furthers into his career, he can be like, “Klay was my vet.” That’s honestly greater than any scoring night I can have going forward. Just leaving a great imprint on this franchise.”
“I remember being a young player in this league, and you are so impressionable from what you see the veterans do. And I want to lead by example, I want to show him how much it means to me. As he furthers into his career he can be like, “Klay was my vet.” That’s honestly greater… pic.twitter.com/0u1Yay44zK
— Mavs Film Room(@MavsFilmRoom) October 1, 2025
Thompson, who’s only starting his second season with the Dallas Mavericks after 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, showing such commitment and loyalty to the Mavericks and to Dallas is quite the storyline, and significant in its own way.
But the feel-good story of Klay Thompson’s commitment to the Mavs and Mavericks history doesn’t stop there.
Around the same time, Marc Stein shared on the DLLS show that he saw Klay Thompson pull out “The Great Nowitzki”, a book by Thomas Pletzinger about Dirk from his backpack Tuesday in the gym. And that Klay was quoting from the book. A heartwarming anecdote for Mavs fans, who are known for their undying dedication to the German big man, who in turn has kept showing an unrivaled loyalty to the Mavericks franchise and fans.
@TheSteinLine shared on the DLLS show that the coolest thing he saw yesterday in the gym was Klay Thompson pulling out this particular book about Dirk from his backpack & was quoting things in the book.pic.twitter.com/FPk0MdFcgh
— Panda Hank (@pandahank41) October 1, 2025
Already last year, Thompson made clear that he looked up to Dirk, as he was seen wearing a Nowitzki jersey while working out.
Klay Thompson showing love to Dirk
(Via Jlawbball/IG) pic.twitter.com/AhIK63whHz
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) July 13, 2024
Thompson has worked on the idea to motivate and inspire the Mavs by looking at the 2011 title run for a while, it seems, as it came to light that different players have been talking about the title run in the locker room, according to P.J. Washington. He also shared that Thompson has suggested that the 2011 Championship movie run every day as inspiration to the team:
“A bunch of different players talking about the run (Mavericks winning the championship in 2011), and Klay wanted it to be in there every single day to remind us what it’s like, what it was like for them back in the day. Just to give us extra motivation, extra fuel to the fire.”
Klay Thompson, being the smart and experienced player he is, knows how much NBA and franchise history matters in the creation of a strong team identity, purpose and motivation. He knows that it wouldn’t carry the same weight to use his own extended experience with the Golden State Warriors as a motivator and inspiration to the team, so he found a place to pull that same feeling in the history of his current franchise.
It’s a great idea, worth all the work he seems to have put into it. He is right now helping create a winning narrative and identity for this group, based on a team that won despite the odds. If he – and the team – are able to hold on to this energy and identity, it will prove even more valuable and meaningful for the team down the stretch, when adversity hits. Because it always does, sooner or later. But when you know what it takes to win, you also know how to get through it.
Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.
Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...ivator-they-exemplified-what-a-team-really-is