Klay Thompson has already won Olympic gold for Team USA. Now he is hoping his final international chapter comes on the opposite side of the court.

The Dallas Mavericks veteran revealed this week that he would love to represent the Bahamas, his father Mychal Thompson’s home country. If the eligibility hurdles clear in time, that decision could set up one of the most fascinating storylines of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with Thompson potentially facing former teammates Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant on basketball’s biggest international stage.

For Thompson, however, the motivation runs deeper than rivalry. It is about heritage, family, and a chance to represent the country that shaped his father’s legacy.

“If there was a way to [play], I would love to. Playing for Team USA kind of complicates that, but it’d be awesome to represent my father’s nation and all my family in the 242 [the Bahamas area code]. That’d be a dream come true.”

The path to switching national teams is not simple. Because Thompson previously represented USA Basketball at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics, he must obtain a No Objection Certificate from USA Basketball before FIBA can approve a nationality switch. That paperwork prevented him from representing the Bahamas during the 2024 Olympic cycle despite his interest.

As a result, Thompson is now targeting the next major window. The 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles represent the realistic timeline if approval comes through.

The potential storyline would be poetic. Thompson was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, the same city where his father won two NBA championships with the Showtime Lakers in 1987 and 1988.

Mychal Thompson remains the first Bahamian-born player to win an NBA title. Yet he never had the opportunity to represent the Bahamas internationally. For Klay, doing so in Los Angeles would complete the family circle.

A Bahamas roster that could pack a punch internationally

If Thompson does join the Bahamas program, he would step into one of the most intriguing small-nation talent pools in international basketball. The roster could feature several NBA names including Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield, Eric Gordon, and rising Philadelphia 76ers prospect VJ Edgecombe. Former Cavaliers forward Isaiah Mobley has also represented the country in international competitions.

Together, that group would combine elite shooting, veteran scoring, and strong interior presence. Thompson himself acknowledges the challenge of competing with Team USA, which typically fields a roster filled with future Hall of Famers.

“I mean, we’d have a puncher’s chance, that’s about it. In international basketball, defeating the USA is the biggest accomplishment you can have. Obviously, winning a medal is everything, but it hasn’t been done since 2006. That would be awesome, but it’s incredibly difficult.”

Still, international tournaments are rarely predictable. The United States has dominated Olympic play, yet surprises have happened before. Greece famously knocked off Team USA at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, proving that chemistry and cohesion can occasionally overcome star power.

Because of that history, Thompson believes a Bahamas roster loaded with NBA talent could at least make things interesting.

Meanwhile, Thompson continues his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks in a veteran role. At 36, the four-time champion has embraced mentoring younger players while contributing off the bench.

However, the possibility of one last international run remains a powerful motivator. Representing the Bahamas would allow Thompson to compete for something entirely different than another NBA ring. It would also give him the chance to honor his father’s legacy while closing his career on a deeply personal note.

If the necessary approval arrives in time, the 2028 Olympics could deliver a remarkable scene. Klay Thompson stepping onto the court in Los Angeles wearing Bahamas colors, staring across at Team USA, and perhaps facing Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant for the first time on the international stage.

For a player who has already won nearly everything in basketball, that final chapter might be the most meaningful one yet.