In 2001, if you’d wandered onto a dusty Little League diamond in Lake Oswego, Oregon, you would have seen a skinny kid leading off and a hulking sixth-grader on the mound looking like he was already ready for high school. The fast-talking leadoff hitter was Klay Thompson. The giant kid staring him down from the rubber? Kevin Love.
Most people think of the Klay Thompson Kevin Love connection as a footnote to the four straight NBA Finals between the Warriors and Cavs. But honestly, it’s much weirder and deeper than that. These two weren’t just "from the same area." They were legit childhood buddies who spent weekends at each other’s houses, and their lives have been weirdly intertwined for nearly 25 years.
The Beanball and the Lake Oswego Lakers
Klay once told a story during a visit to his old elementary school that basically sums up their dynamic. He was pitching, Love was batting. Klay, never one to shy away from a challenge even back then, wound up and beamed Kevin Love right in the back with a fastball.
"Knew he was going to be a Cav," Klay joked years later.
They played for the Lake Oswego Lakers—the same name as the local high school team—and they were absolute dynamos. Love was the "phenom," a 6-foot-tall kid who could already dunk by middle school and threw heat on the mound. Klay was the "finesse" player, a shortstop with a quiet confidence that Love says he still recognizes today.
They won a state title together in 2001. They nearly made the Little League World Series. Then, when Klay was 14, his father Mychal Thompson moved the family to Southern California.
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The "what if" here is massive. Had Klay stayed in Oregon, those Lake Oswego High School teams would have featured both Klay and Kevin. They likely would have steamrolled through the state, potentially preventing the legendary 2007 loss to Kyle Singler’s South Medford. Imagine a high school duo that featured two future Hall of Famers before they even hit their growth spurts.
The 2014 Trade That Never Happened
We have to talk about the moment the NBA almost changed forever. In the summer of 2014, the Golden State Warriors were at a crossroads. Kevin Love was the king of the double-double in Minnesota, averaging 26 points and 12 rebounds. He was the "shiny new toy" everyone wanted.
The deal on the table was basically Klay Thompson and David Lee for Kevin Love.
Management was split. Most of the front office wanted the trade. They saw a versatile big man who could pass and rebound. But Jerry West—the Logo himself—threatened to resign if they moved Klay. He argued that Klay was the perfect backcourt partner for Steph Curry.
- The Warriors kept Klay: They won four titles and changed how basketball is played.
- The Cavs got Love: He became a crucial piece of the 2016 championship team.
- The friendship stayed intact: Even while they were trying to rip each other's hearts out in the Finals.
It’s one of the greatest "sliding doors" moments in sports. If that trade goes through, the "Splash Brothers" never exist. The Warriors probably never become a dynasty. Kevin Love might have a different career trajectory entirely. Instead, they spent four years meeting at the summit, two kids from the same Little League team fighting for the Larry O'Brien trophy.
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20 Years Later: Workouts and Net Worth
Fast forward to late 2025 and early 2026. These guys aren't kids anymore. Klay is now finding his second wind with the Dallas Mavericks after that legendary run in San Francisco. Kevin Love, after a stint in Miami, was acquired by the Utah Jazz in mid-2025.
Even though they're on different teams, they still train together. In September 2025, Klay posted a "20 years later" photo on Instagram of the two of them hitting the gym. It’s rare to see that kind of longevity in NBA friendships.
The financial side of their careers is just as staggering as their stats.
Klay Thompson’s net worth in 2026 is estimated to be hovering around $140 million, bolstered by a $50 million, three-year contract he signed with Dallas in 2024. Between his salary and his "Anta" shoe deal—which brings in millions annually—he’s set for life.
Kevin Love’s career earnings actually rival Klay’s because he’s been a max-contract player for a huge chunk of his 15+ years in the league. While his current salary with the Jazz has dipped to the $4 million range as he takes on a veteran mentor role, his total career earnings have eclipsed $300 million.
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Why the Klay and Kevin Connection Still Matters
It’s easy to get lost in the stats—the 37-point quarters for Klay or the 30-30 games for Love. But the Klay Thompson Kevin Love story is really about the small-world nature of elite sports.
They represent a specific era of the NBA: the sons of former pros (Mychal Thompson and Stan Love) who grew up with the blueprint for success. They didn't just stumble into the league; they were built for it on the same fields in Oregon.
When you see them dabbing each other up after a game in 2026, you aren't just seeing two veterans. You're seeing the kid who got hit by a pitch and the kid who threw it.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're following their careers today, watch how they've adapted. Klay has shifted his game to be more of a "gravity" threat in Dallas, while Love has become one of the league's best "locker room" leaders in Utah.
- Check the Jazz vs. Mavericks schedule: These matchups are often the only time they get to catch up in person during the grind of the season.
- Follow their off-court ventures: Both are heavily involved in mental health advocacy (Love) and lifestyle branding (Klay’s love for boating and his "Sea Captain" persona).
- Look at the 2001 Lake Oswego team photo: It’s floating around the internet and is a wild reminder that you never know which kid in the back row is going to become a legend.
The era of them meeting in the Finals might be over, but the bond between the pitcher and the batter is clearly going nowhere.