On Tuesday night Klay Thompson fueled the Golden State Warriors to the 113-104 win over New Orleans to clinch a spot in the Western Conference finals. The former WSU guard had 23 in the game, including 14 in the first quarter to secure the team’s 15th straight home playoff win.

But, in the end, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and company will be the ones in the headlines and on First Take when you turn on ESPN today. And that’s the way Klay likes it.

Thompson has always been the quiet role player, even dating back to his time in Pullman. He stays out of the limelight and fills whatever role you need him to. “As long as I’m doing the job I love, taking care of my family and having fun, I can’t worry about what other people think too much. It’s unnecessary. It’s pressure for no reason. I used to beat myself up if there was something embarrassing. Now I’m like ... we’re all human. I’m not the only one who has ever been through anything.”

That quote comes from an in depth profile on Klay and the entire Thompson family published yesterday by Ric Bucher for Bleacher Report. The interview covers everything from Klay’s mindset, to his upbringing and, especially, his family. “My brothers were definitely a huge influence because we would play so hard against each other in whatever sport it was,” Klay told Bucher. “They allowed me to be the competitor I am today.”

One of the more interesting stories from the profile for Coug fans goes back to a single game back in 2010.

Uncle John recalls when Washington State had the rare chance to host a non-Pac-12 Top Five team in Kansas State. It was a big deal for the Cougars, and Beasley Coliseum was packed. The Wildcats won even though Thompson was the game’s leading scorer with 16 points. “Klay was just hang-dogging afterward, and I asked him why,” Leslie says. “He said, ‘I let 13,000 people down tonight.’”

But, of course, the headline of this story was about Klay’s love of fireworks. That anecdote is something, as far as I know, that Klay has kept under wraps. In the story, Klay’s family describes him as a daredevil. “He grew up in Oregon’s great outdoors, and there wasn’t a tree he wouldn’t climb, a river he wouldn’t swim or a tall object he wouldn’t leap from,” writes Bucher. “He has a profound love for fireworks, a fascination inherited from his mother, and supposedly keeps a stockpile in a garage up in the Northwest.”

You can check out the full profile below. There is a lot more great stuff in there, including the times he’s invited his brother’s minor league baseball team to his house and an in depth look at his famous dog Rocco.

'If You Don't Love It, Why Do It?': How Klay Thompson's Family Made Him a Star | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights
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