Anyone watching the Memphis Grizzlies play the Dallas Mavericks tonight could see it: Klay Thompson had an extra edge to him tonight. He logged his best point total of the season and had an efficient night of shooting, but ultimately lost the game. However, what caught attention was his attitude; Thompson spent all night chirping at various Memphis players, including Grizzlies star Ja Morant, with whom he had a heated confrontation after the matchup.

Amongst the reactions to the blowup between the two guards, an old clip recently surfaced. Back in 2022, after the Golden State Warriors won the championship, Klay was interviewed and told a reporter, “Strength in numbers is alive and well.” Then came perhaps the most famous post-game rant of his career. “There was this one player on the Grizzlies who tweeted strength in numbers after they beat us… pissed me off so much. I couldn’t wait to retweet that thing. Freaking bum.”

If that wasn’t the beginning of a rivalry, then the line that came after cemented it: “You’re going to mock us? Like, you ain’t ever been there before, bro… Twitter fingers. I got a memory like an elephant. I don’t forget.” People didn’t know who it was at the time, but keen-eyed onlookers quickly realized who Thompson was talking about: Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr.

During the 2021-22 regular season, Jackson, after beating the Warriors by 28 points, tweeted, “Strength in numbers 👏🏾,” a reference to the Warriors’ championship slogan, which dates back to the 2014-15 season. Golden State built its identity on depth, and the slogan represented a dynasty, and Thompson didn’t take kindly to what he saw as a mockery of one of the greatest teams of all time.

Afterward, Ja Morant tweeted, “got a lot of real estate,” letting Thompson and the Warriors know that he’s living rent-free in their minds. This comment also sparked a Twitter back-and-forth with him and Draymond Green, and it was clear that the entire Golden State roster, especially those who had been there for a long time, felt similarly to how Klay did.

Perhaps that’s why tonight felt familiar. When tempers flared up with Ja and words were exchanged, it wasn’t shocking to see Klay Thompson firing back. This rivalry was years in the making, and it seems just a few sparks away from reigniting.

Klay Thompson’s Postgame Message Lands Loud After Confrontation

The post-game tension from the Dallas-Memphis battle didn’t cool off immediately, and Klay Thompson kept his edge when he spoke to reporters. During a locker room interview, he made his frustration with Ja Morant clear, adding that Morant said, “Nothing of intelligent depth. It was really just running his mouth. And he’s been running his mouth for a long time.”

Thompson didn’t hold back, continuing, “And it’s funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench. It’s the story of his career so far, just leaving us wanting more. We all wanna see him out there and do his best, but letting a lot of other stuff get in the way of that.”

Over the last three seasons, Morant has missed 126 games during the regular season and missed at least one game each of their last three postseason appearances due to a combination of injuries and suspensions, including a 25-game, league-issued absence.

Klay added on, saying, “We need our best players to be out there. And when you’re a star, it comes with a great responsibility. And I hate to see that go to waste.”

It was a pointed message, not just about the moment, but about questioning Morant’s maturity, something that has been a point of contention for the guard ever since he got drafted.