Overview:

Klay Thompson, the Dallas Mavericks veteran, has a love for travel and exploration, which he believes is the greatest teacher. He spends his offseason expanding his mind and reach by experiencing new cultures, people, and cuisine. Thompson’s fascination with geography started long before he was boarding flights as a five-time All-Star, and he has traveled extensively throughout Asia as part of his partnership with the Chinese sportswear brand Anta. The Mavericks’ recent approach to training camp aligns with Thompson’s philosophy, and the team is cultivating a culture rooted in exploration, mindfulness, and global awareness.

VANCOUVER- Fourteen seasons into his NBA career, Klay Thompson has mastered more than the art of the three-pointer.

The Dallas Mavericks veteran — affectionately known as “Captain Klay” for his adventurous spirit on and off the court, as well as his love of boating — has learned how to embrace the world beyond basketball, one trip, one culture, and one experience at a time.

Thompson’s offseason is not just about resting his body, but about expanding his mind and reach through experiencing new cultures, people, and cuisines. His recent training in the Bahamas, a destination with personal significance, is a testament to his love for travel and exploration. Courtesy Dallas Mavericks / Klay Thompson

As the Mavericks opened training camp in Vancouver this fall, Thompson’s appreciation for
travel and exploration felt especially relevant. The team’s decision to step outside Texas for
preseason preparation symbolized something bigger than conditioning drills and team bonding
— it mirrored the same curiosity and cultural openness that have long fueled Thompson’s
offseason adventures.

A Student of the World

Thompson’s fascination with geography and different cultures has taken him from Tokyo to Yaoundé, and everywhere in between. His travels have not only deepened his connection to the global reach of basketball but also reminded him of the lessons the world has to teach in return. Courtesy Dallas Mavericks/ Klay Thompson

For Thompson, the offseason has never been about simply resting his body. It’s a time to
expand his mind and his reach.

“We as athletes who make a great salary are some of the luckiest people in the world,
especially since we have a real summer,” Thompson said. “If you work a real job in the industry,
it’s hard to have time like that. The greatest teacher in my mind is experiencing new cultures,
new people, new cuisine.”

This past offseason, Thompson spent time training in the Bahamas — a destination that holds
personal meaning for him. His father, former NBA champion Mychal Thompson, was born and
raised there before becoming the first Bahamian player drafted No. 1 overall in NBA history. For
Klay, returning to the islands wasn’t just about staying sharp; it was about reconnecting with his
roots.

Between sunrise shooting sessions and afternoons on the water, “Captain Klay” found time to
do what he loves most off the court — boating. Whether steering his vessel along the Pacific or
cruising through the Caribbean, the ocean has always been his sanctuary. It’s where he resets,
reflects, and recharges. “I’ve been so lucky to have such an appreciation of the world and what
we do because it’s so rare you get to do what you love for a profession,” he said.

That grounding energy carries over into his approach to basketball. “That is the ultimate feeling
— I get to be a better version of myself, or at least attempt to be. That’s the dream. It’s a fairy
tale, really.”

From Almanacs to Air Miles

Thompson’s fascination with geography started long before he was boarding flights as a five-
time All-Star. “I used to love reading almanacs,” he said with a grin. “I wanted to see it for
myself. Now that I have the means, I’m like, I gotta go see these places for myself. You hear so much on the internet or the news, and it’s not even real half the time. It’s fun to go experience
the world and go with people who are from different places. It’s truly what life’s about.”

It’s fun to go experience
the world and go with people who are from different places. It’s truly what life’s about.

klay thompson

That explorer’s mindset has taken him from Tokyo to Yaoundé — and everywhere in between.
When the Golden State Warriors faced the Washington Wizards in Japan during the 2022
preseason, Thompson soaked in the culture, food, and energy of a basketball-loving country
that welcomed the NBA with open arms. It was a return to international play for the Warriors, but
for Thompson, it doubled as a reminder of how global the game has become.

Over the years, Thompson has also traveled extensively throughout Asia as part of his
partnership with the Chinese sportswear brand Anta, which he joined in 2014. His annual Anta
tours have taken him across China and the Philippines, where he’s been met by thousands of
fans at shopping centers, gyms, and outdoor courts. Whether he’s unveiling his latest “KT”
sneaker line in Beijing or playing pickup with local players in Manila, those experiences have
deepened his connection to basketball’s worldwide reach.

Courtesy Dallas Mavericks/ Klay Thompson

Last summer, Thompson also made his way to Cameroon alongside his former Warriors
teammate Festus Ezeli, joining a charitable initiative focused on youth empowerment through
sports and education. The two hosted basketball clinics, donated equipment, and engaged with
local communities as part of Ezeli’s Rebuilding the Mindset project.

“So much is required, so much is given,” Thompson said. “I think that’s it.”

A Mindset That Travels

The Mavericks’ recent approach to training camp perfectly aligns with Thompson’s philosophy.
For the past two seasons, Dallas has made travel a core part of its preseason identity — holding
camp in Las Vegas last year and Vancouver this year. The shift reflects a broader
organizational effort to create space for focus, bonding, and reflection away from the noise of
the regular grind.

Vancouver’s blend of urban energy and Pacific serenity offered a fitting backdrop for the veteran
to mentor younger teammates while reconnecting with the fundamentals of leadership. For
emerging players like Cooper Flagg and Dereck Lively II, the experience provided more than a
change of scenery — it was a window into the mindset of a player who has seen the world
through the lens of the game.

Just as Thompson seeks growth through travel, the Mavericks are cultivating a culture rooted in
exploration, mindfulness, and global awareness — one that embraces the lessons found outside
the gym as much as those within it.

Whether he’s training under the Caribbean sun, touring through Asia with Anta, giving back in
West Africa, or preparing for another season in a new city, Klay Thompson continues to prove
that basketball is a passport — not just to success, but also to perspective.

For Thompson, the game doesn’t just take him around the world — it reminds him what the
world has to teach in return.

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