Klay Thompson Aims for Warriors Re-Sign, Focuses on Mental Health

"I just can't believe it's here," Thompson said of this final stage of his career. "When you're in your mid-20s, it's so crazy, you think you're going to play forever. And you think if you maintain that athletic level, it seems effortless. But then as time goes on, you realize how demanding this job really is. It's so physically demanding."

"I was actually struggling a lot with that at the beginning of this year because of the unknown. I might've let contract situations or playing time or making up a lot of excuses rather than just appreciating what is in front of me. It took me and Steve [Kerr] like four real heart-to-heart talks to finally break my shell. Being like you know what? I got to have fun this year. I deserve to have fun."

"Just smelling the roses and appreciating all the work it took to get here. In saying that, when it comes to free agency in July, I just got to keep that in mind. Yes, I want to re-sign with the [Warriors], but I also have to prioritize my mental health and lay out what is important to me at this point in my career. I know we have so much basketball ahead that I haven't given it much thought. Because if I start thinking about July 1, then I'm just doing myself a disservice. For me it's just about staying present, as simple as that is. Staying present and appreciating being in the NBA."