Klay Thompson walks fans through rehab journey after NBA 2019 Finals in new documentary

Months after injuring himself during the NBA 2019 Finals, Klay Thompson's short documentary showcases the Golden State Warriors star's rehab journey. The documentary Above The Waves was released on May 6, 2020. While small clips of his rehab are shown, Thompson shares his views on the 'psychological hurdles' he had to face by being sidelined for so long. Thompson tore his ACL during the Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. 

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Klay Thompson rehab journey showed in his documentary Above The Waves

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How did Klay Thompson get through his rehab?

Klay Thompson's injured ACL sidelined him from the entire 2019-20 season. Thomspon starts his interviews by sharing how he felt his knee shift when he fell, something that had never happened before. While Thompson tried to express the frustration he felt, he stated that he gave the series his all.

The documentary also includes clips from Thomspon's workouts at the Oakland’s Laney College. The Warriors star admitted that the 'psychological hurdles' he faced have been more difficult to overcome. However, he is eager to prove everyone wrong about the Warriors, who were at the bottom of the league this season.

Thompson believes it is a good motivation to have. He even stated that it 'kills' him inside to know that people think their run is over and he has much more to contribute. Thompson was averaging 21.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 last season while shooting 46.6% from the field, 40.2% from the three-point range and 81.6% from the free-throw line before his injury. Earlier this year, the Warriors had released a statement about Thomspon's injury, which informed fans that his rehab process was on track even though he will not return during the 2019-20 season. 

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Presented by the healthcare company Kaiser Permanente, the documentary does a good job at capturing Thomspon's frustration as he attempts to shoot during his rehab. His father, Mychal Thompson also features in the documentary. He advises Thompson to always stay humble, healthy and hungry all the time, referring to them as three Hs. The documentary also includes shots of Thompson in the Warriors jersey, ready to return to the court.

It ends with a slide letting fans know that Thompson will make his return in 2020. While most fans have liked the short film, some have criticised it for not taking a deeper look into his rehab process. The film was created by Translation, and directed by Floyd Russ alongside his creative production partner, Tool of North America.

Klay Thompson filming Above The Waves

In an interview with Clutch Points, director Floyd Russ revealed that while he has seen various rehab stories, Thompson was different. It was, according to Russ, the story of a kind as Thompson's ACL injury was 'in a way the final nail in the coffin of perhaps the most epic run any team has ever had in NBA history'.

He further explained that it was more of a mental process, as they explore Thompson wanting to get better. Thompson did not want to compare himself to anyone and only focus on himself, said Russ. While Russ revealed that Thompson did not have enough time to get used to the camera, he was 'easy-going and chill to work with'.