Former NBA Star Points Finger at Rapper for Player's Slump
Retired NBA champion Jason Williams has proposed a controversial theory for Klay Thompson's significant on-court struggles with the Dallas Mavericks, pointing not to basketball reasons but to the influence of his famous girlfriend, rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
The former Sacramento Kings and Miami Heat star, now 49, dismissed conventional explanations such as Thompson's poor shooting, recent injury history, or defensive difficulties for the player's reduced role. Instead, Williams invoked an old saying from his West Virginia upbringing during an appearance on the 'Hoopin' N Hollering' podcast.
"I'm from West Virginia, man, I've been taught a lot from old folks, old white folks," Williams stated. "It only takes one p**** to drag a battleship across the desert. That's how powerful it is."
A High-Profile Relationship Under Scrutiny
Klay Thompson, the son of former NBA player Mychal Thompson, and Megan Thee Stallion, whose real name is Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, made their relationship public over the summer. They have since become one of America's most recognisable celebrity couples.
The couple's prominence was amplified when a recent Instagram post, suggesting they were moving in together, attracted more than 2 million 'likes' online. Furthermore, Megan Thee Stallion released a single, 'Lover Girl,' which she dedicated to her boyfriend.
Her presence as an NBA WAG was cemented last month when she made her first courtside appearance to watch Thompson play.
Thompson's Concerning On-Court Performance
While his personal life appears to be thriving, Thompson's performance for the Dallas Mavericks has deteriorated sharply. His current shooting statistics are alarmingly low, with just 31.4 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from 3-point range.
If these numbers do not improve, they will represent career lows for the veteran shooter. As a direct consequence, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has reassigned Thompson's playing minutes to veteran combo guard D'Angelo Russell.
This benching comes for a player who, just a few years ago, was a highly sought-after free agent. Reports from The Athletic indicated he had an opportunity to join the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $80 million deal, but he chose Dallas for the chance to play alongside Luka Dončić, who was later traded.
Thompson's decline is not entirely unexpected, given he is 35 years old and has endured significant injuries, including a torn ACL in his left knee and a ruptured right Achilles tendon, compounded by over 1,000 regular season and playoff games.
Jason Williams, who won an NBA title with the Miami Heat and is remembered as one of the league's most exciting passers during his time with the Sacramento Kings, stopped short of definitively blaming the rapper but refused to dismiss the possibility. "Klay Thompson, I ain't sayin' that's what it is," Williams added, "but that might be what it is."
