Sports

Klay Thompson Responds to Kevin Durant Saying He Was ‘Never an MVP Candidate’: ‘Aye Man U Good?'

Klay Thompson responded to Kevin Durant pointing out that his former Warriors teammate was never in the running for league MVP.

Kevin Durant in a Suns jersey defends Klay Thompson in a Warriors jersey during a basketball game.
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Klay Thompson had a message for Kevin Durant after his former Golden State Warriors teammate used his full name while arguing that the current Philadelphia 76ers are a stronger team on paper than the Warriors dynasty they helped build together.

The exchange began after Durant responded to an Instagram debate comparing the star-studded Sixers, featuring Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey, to the Warriors teams that captured back-to-back NBA championships in 2017 and 2018.

"Ain't close lmao," Durant wrote. "Joel, mvp recently. Jaylen Brown, recent finals mvp, Tyrese Maxey, all star the last 3 years. We all know what bron does. Klay Thompson, never a mvp candidate in nothing, 22ppg. Draymond, 14ppg 7 rebounds 6 assist, Steph a mvp just like Joel was. I don't get how the warriors team is better on paper."

While Durant's argument focused on individual accolades and résumé comparisons, Thompson appeared to take exception to one part of the comment in particular.

Sharing a screenshot of Durant's post to his Instagram Story, Thompson tagged his former teammate and joked, "Aye man u good? What u using my full government for??"

The playful response quickly spread across social media as fans reacted to the friendly back-and-forth between two players who spent three seasons together in Golden State. Durant joined the Warriors in 2016 after the franchise's historic 73-win campaign, helping the team win consecutive NBA titles before leaving in 2019.

Durant defended his stance by pointing to Embiid's MVP award, Brown's Finals MVP, Maxey's recent All-Star appearances and LeBron James' résumé, arguing that Philadelphia's current roster stacks up better on paper than the Warriors team he joined. Thompson, meanwhile, averaged 22 points per game during Golden State's 73-win season and went on to become one of the defining pieces of the Warriors' dynasty, winning four NBA championships overall, two alongside Durant.

The debate has become a popular offseason topic, with fans weighing whether Philadelphia's collection of star power can eventually accomplish what those Warriors teams did on the court. While the Sixers boast an impressive lineup, they have yet to win a championship together, whereas Durant, Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green turned their talent into multiple titles.

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