Klay Thompson warms up with 'Jackie Moon' before the Warriors face the Clippers.
SAN FRANCISCO — Will Ferrell emailed Steve Kerr a while back, and the Warriors coach didn’t believe it was really the actor writing.
A few exchanges later, Ferrell was warming up with Golden State on a night the Warriors needed a little fun and lightheartedness to forget their recent funk.
Klay Thompson scored 20 points after the comedy star surprised him and teammates before the game, and Golden State snapped a five-game skid by beating the LA Clippers 112-97 on Tuesday.
“It was fun, and I’m glad we took advantage of it,” Stephen Curry said. “… I think we fed off the energy. I was actually surprised, his form, he actually had some good rotation on the ball, and endless energy. I don’t know how.”
Jackie Moon, meet Jackie Moon pic.twitter.com/WtRSFzmc0B
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 9, 2022
Flint Tropics can’t guard the Dubs @Oracle || Game Ready pic.twitter.com/pLFXm3RcQ7
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 9, 2022
Roll the Jackie Moon mixtape pic.twitter.com/bX5yX2KGt3
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 9, 2022
Ferrell went through shooting, passing and dribbling while sporting a vintage-style headband and dressed in his Jackie Moon jersey from the 2008 hoops film “Semi-Pro.” It was a moment that was meant especially for Thompson — who dressed as Moon for Halloween three years ago and loves the movie.
Thompson watched it repeatedly during his two-year rehab from major surgeries on his knee and Achilles tendon, saying: “When I had some dark days I would put that movie on and it would make me smile. I’m very thankful for that film.”
He added, “That was so cool, dreams do come true.”
Kerr knew it meant a lot.
“We exchanged a couple of emails and then concocted the plan,” he said. “He’s a huge Klay Thompson fan and he knows how much Klay loves dressing up as Jackie Moon, so it was just kind of a natural fit and it felt like a good time to do it just to make everybody laugh in a tough stretch of the season.
“He was great. He came into our locker room, made the guys laugh. Everybody loved seeing him and hearing from him. He was hilarious.”
Warriors defensive leader Draymond Green is expected back March 14 against the Wizards from a disk injury in his back that gave him an injured calf. He missed his 28th straight game.
“As many games as we can get is huge, obviously,” Curry said of getting Green back before the playoffs.
Golden State also offered encouraging news on second-year center James Wiseman, who has progressed in his rehab from right knee surgery enough that he’s ready to play for the G League Warriors in two games this week: at Stockton on Thursday and vs. the G League Ignite on Sunday at Chase Center.
