Klay Thompson’s father, Mychal Thompson, discussed his son’s arrest on Friday morning and what it felt like to receive a phone call late Thursday night about the arrest. Thompson, a former No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, was heartbroken by the news, and said he was at a loss for words. The younger Thompson was arrested for possession of marijuana on Thursday night shortly after the Washington State Cougars defeated the USC Trojans in Pullman. He will not play on Sunday against UCLA after being suspended on Friday.
In a statement, Mychal Thompson said it felt like a punch in the gut from Manny Pacquiao as he expressed disappointment in his son.
“I’ve been in that situation many, many times and chose not to do it. You’ve got to be better than that, you’ve got to be smarter. I told him I was extremely disappointed in him. He let the team down, he let the school down and he let himself and his family down.
The Cougars are right on the bubble of the NCAA tournament with one game remaining the regular season and the Pac-10 tournament coming up next week. Thompson has been a key for the Cougars, scoring 21 points per game while facilitating much of the offense. His draft stock has been rising, as well, with many calling him a late-first round pick.
For Washington State fans wondering what this means for Thompson and the Cougars, his father said Klay needs to stick around and get his degree to make amends for the mistake. Thompson chastised his son, saying he needs to be a leader and he let his team down with his irresponsible actions.
The Cougars hit the floor against UCLA on Saturday without Thompson to cap the regular season. Stay with our StoryStream for more on the situation as it develops. For more on Thompson and the Cougars, check out SB Nation’s CougCenter