The Warriors honor Klay Thompson in his first appearance at Chase Center with the Mavericks

Klay Thompson returned to the Bay Area on Tuesday night for the first time since leaving the Golden State Warriors.

Thompson and the Mavericks arrived at the Chase Center in San Francisco for their NBA Cup opener on Tuesday, and Thompson quickly received a big reception upon his arrival from fans both in the arena and those waiting outside.

The game was dubbed “Salute Captain Klay” night and fans were given a white captain’s hat with a Warriors logo on it in honor of Thompson – who used to take the boat to games when he played for the Warriors. The team also played a tribute video before the game and gave Thompson a huge ovation on the court before the game.

Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks last offseason. This officially ended his incredible career with the Warriors, which produced four championships in eight seasons. The Warriors first selected Thompson with the No. 11 pick out of Washington State in 2011 and he quickly became a fan favorite in the Bay Area and a key part of the Warriors dynasty alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green and left.

Although he said he still appreciates the run he had with Golden State to start his career in the league, Thompson is simply focused on putting it behind him for now.

Thompson averaged 17.9 points per game last season at Golden State, which was his worst performance in more than a decade. He also shot worse than 40% from behind the arc for the second time in his career. Thompson left the Warriors sixth in total points in team history, fourth in games played and second behind Stephen Curry in 3-pointers made. He also holds the NBA record with 14 3-pointers made in a single game, which he set with the Warriors in 2018.

The 34-year-old entered Dallas on Tuesday averaging 13.8 points and 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 made 3-pointers per game this season. The Mavericks are 5-5.

While players don’t always receive a warm welcome on their first trips to their old arenas, Thompson is clearly still well-liked by the Warriors’ fan base.