WSU To Retire Jersey Of Basketball Star Klay

The WSU Athletic Department has announced that the Klay Thompson jersey number 1 for men's basketball is being retired.  Thompson, who in just three years at Pullman is the Cougar Basketball team's third leading all time scoring leader.    

He now plays for the Golden State Warriors, where is a 2 time All NBA  honoree and a 5 time All Star.  He has 3 NBA championship rings with the Warriors. 

The last Cougar basketball player to have his number retired was Steve Puidokas, who played when I was a student there. 

Former Coug Thompson Breaks Record

Mention great former WSU athletes named Thompson and the first thought that goes through your head may be the Throwin' Samoan Jack Thompson, but that may not be the case after last Friday night, Klay Thompson, who played for Coach Tony Bennett at WSU from 2008 to 2011, set an NBA record last night of 37 points in a single quarter.  In that third quarter, Thompson  had 9 3-pointers, also an NBA record.  Thompson plays for the Golden State Warriors.  He outscored the entire Sacramento Kings basketball team in that single quarter.  Thompson wound up with 52 points for the entire game.

Would The Cougs Have Won With Thompson?

To beat one of College Basketball's marquis teams, you need "all hands on deck" The Washington State Cougars, having a "roller coaster year", clearly had the momentum after beating USC last Thursday night to give the UCLA Bruins a run for their money. They sure did, it took an overtime for the Bruins, eliminated from any chance to win the Pac-10 title, to beat the Cougs, but it was without the Cougars' two star players. Reggie Moore was out due to an injury, his loss could not be helped, but Klay Thompson, who leads the Cougs in scoring, was suspended after being caught with marijuana after last Thursday's game. It was the Bruins 18th consecutive victory in on the Cougs home court. Would the Cougars have won if Thompson was able to play? We'll never know, but I'm sure he has learned his lesson.

Cougs Come Through Thrash Huskies 87-80

Unlike last week's heartbreaking loss against Arizona, The Washington State Cougars were able to finish the job and beat their arch-rivals, the 18th rank Washington Huskies 87 to 80. Klay Thompson lead the Cougs with 25 points, Reggie Moore added 18 more for the Cougs in what so far has been 2nd year coach Ken Bone's biggest career victory.