With the Golden State Warriors in Dallas to face the Mavericks on Wednesday night, Klay Thompson was seen walking into American Airlines Center wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey that wasn’t just because he was in the area.
I was paying tribute to a late friend.
Tight end Gavin Escobar tragically passed away last September during a rock climbing accident in Southern California along with a woman. The accident occurred on Tahquitz Rock near Idyllwild, where rescuers were called around 12:30 p.m. local time.
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Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center on March 20, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Alex Bierens deHaan/Getty Images)
The Warriors posted a photo of Thompson walking around in the jersey, saying he and Escobar are from the same California town of Rancho Santa Margarita.
Escobar played in the NFL from 2013 to 2017 for the Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. He had 30 catches for 333 yards and eight touchdowns during his career. He ended his football career with the Alliance of American Football.
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Following this football career, Escobar became a member of the Long Beach Fire Department in February 2022.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the off-duty death of Long Beach Firefighter Gavin Escobar,” the department wrote on Twitter at the time. «Hired on February 5, 2022, Firefighter Escobar was assigned to Fire Station 3 on shift B.»
Escobar played college football at San Diego State. In the school’s statement on his death, he wrote: «Gavin was the epitome of a student-athlete and a leader on and off the field.»
Gavin Escobar #89 walks to the locker room after the afternoon session of Dallas Cowboys rookie minicamp at the Dallas Cowboys Valley Ranch on May 10, 2013 in Irving, Texas. (Rick Yeatts/Getty Images)
Thompson and his Warriors have rocketed up the Western Conference standings, owning the No. 6 seed entering Wednesday night. He has played a big part in that, averaging 22.0 points in 32.9 minutes per contest this season.
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During Steph Curry’s absences due to injury this season, Thompson played a pivotal role in making sure Golden State’s offense didn’t take too many hits.
Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors arrives at the arena before the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 22, 2023 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
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However, the West is very tight, which makes Wednesday’s game against Dallas important, as the Mavericks sit just one game behind the 36-36 Warriors in the No. 8 seed.