Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson and his brother, Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Trayce Thompson are part of an elite club as siblings who have both broken through into professional sports. And now, the two can enjoy watching each other’s accomplishments on the field at Dodger Stadium or Chase Center Court.
Speaking to PEOPLE at Clayton Kershaw’s Ping Pong 4 Purpose Celebrity Tournament on Monday, Klay, 32, said he always knew Trayce would make it to baseball’s major league.
“He just loved Ken Griffey a lot [Jr.]that was his hero,” says Klay. “I can’t actually remember a time when he didn’t have a baseball bat in his hand.”
Growing up, 31-year-old Trayce “always “taped and grabbed” bats,” his brother recalls. “I knew it was in his future. I knew it.”
Now, Klay, who just won his fourth NBA championship with the Warriors, joins Steph Curry to enjoy his brother from the stands at Dodger Stadium.
“The most fun thing is just being a spectator and having a few beers and eating nachos. And cheer on your brother? I feel like a kid again,” says Klay. “It is the best.”
And the brothers even got a chance to team up and compete in Monday night’s Ping Pong 4 Purpose Celebrity Tournament, which raised over $1 million to benefit Kershaw’s Challenge and its 2022 beneficiaries, including Shoes That Fit, The Dream Center, Arise Africa, Both Ends Believe and International Justice Mission.
Aside from their sporting achievements, Klay and Trayce tell PEOPLE that they both pursue creative pursuits in their free time. “Trayce is a really good artist,” says Klay. “He was actually a great draftsman growing up. He’s really nice with the sketching, the watercolors, and the supplies.”
“People don’t know that,” adds the NBA champion.
In fact, Klay recalls his brother combining his passion for sports and fine arts by drawing his aforementioned baseball hero. “He would draw Ken Griffey [Jr.] a lot and he was a very talented artist,” says Klay.
As for Klay’s interests, Trayce says his older brother is much more than just a basketball star.
“[Klay] is quite a versatile person. He’s quite musical. He’s always been a go-getter, but he’s one of the more interesting guys you’ll ever meet. He’s into a lot of different things, but Michael Jackson is undoubtedly his favorite artist. So whenever you hear Michael Jackson explode at my parents’ house, you know Klay’s home.”
Trayce also tells PEOPLE he has enjoyed watching his brother discover a newfound interest in scuba diving, a hobby he picked up after buying a boat in 2021. “Everyone now knows about his boat, but he’ll actually dive like he’s going to do a deep dive, not crazy deep, but for him it was pretty cool to find that passion,” says Trayce.
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And for all of Klay’s diverse interests, Trayce was quite surprised when his brother pursued pro basketball instead of soccer.
“I thought he was going to play football,” says Trayce. “He doesn’t talk much anymore, but he was a really good quarterback.”
Though Klay’s initial decision to play basketball confused his brother, Trayce says his success with the Golden State Warriors doesn’t surprise him at all. “I was surprised he quit football so early, but I wasn’t surprised he did what he did,” says Trayce.