{"id":1521449,"date":"2022-07-21T08:40:18","date_gmt":"2022-07-21T12:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1521449"},"modified":"2022-07-21T08:40:19","modified_gmt":"2022-07-21T12:40:19","slug":"klay-thompsons-gift-to-cancer-stricken-teen-must-have-kobe-bryant-smiling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/klay-thompsons-gift-to-cancer-stricken-teen-must-have-kobe-bryant-smiling\/","title":{"rendered":"Klay Thompson's Gift to Cancer-Stricken Teen Must Have Kobe Bryant Smiling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Joseph Tagaban drew inspiration from Klay Thompson. Thompson, the Golden State Warriors<\/a> sharpshooter, missed two full seasons as he battled through Achilles and ACL injuries.<\/a> His hard work paid off as he played a key role in bringing the Warriors their fourth NBA title since 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tagaban is 15 years old and a native of Petersburg, Alaska. He's a basketball fan, but more specifically, he's a Thompson fan. Last year, Tagaban was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a rare form of cancer. That's when his admiration for Thompson grew stronger, as the teenager admired the hard work and dedication it took for him to return to the court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last Friday, the two met. Thompson presented Tagaban with a rare, personal gift that must have the late Kobe Bryant<\/a> smiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klay Thompson and Joseph Tagaban have shown the true hearts of a champion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Klay
Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with the NBA Championship Trophy during the Golden State Warriors Victory Parade on June 20, 2022, in San Francisco, California. | Thearon W. Henderson\/Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After not seeing an NBA court since the 2018-19 season because of a pair of devastating injuries,<\/a> Thompson returned to action this year on Jan. 9. He played 32 regular-season games and played a major role during Golden State's playoff run.<\/a> In all, he missed a total of 941 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only did he provide a spark for the Warriors, but he also served as an inspiration for Tagaban, who has always been a Thompson fan. Thompson became his idol after Tagaban saw all the hard work it took for him to come back. ESPN's My Wish<\/em> captured the bonding between the two, featuring their meeting on Wednesday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter I saw what he was able to accomplish, his ability to do that just grew on me quite a lot,\u201d said Tagaban, per The Mercury News.<\/a> \u201cThat\u2019s why he\u2019s my favorite player.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tagaban's mother, Jessielea, was stunned by her son's outlook after receiving the devastating cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe whole world turned upside down and changed our life forever,\u201d\u00a0she said. \u201cI told him, \u2018I\u2019d rather take over, I\u2019d rather be sick than you, you\u2019re too young and you have so much life left.' He said, \u2018Mom, I\u2019m younger, I can get through this, and if God put me through this, He can help me get through this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tagaban had his ups and downs during treatment. After a 108-day stay in the hospital, he returned to the basketball court, lifting his high school junior varsity team to victory with a buzzer-beater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thompson leaves Tagaban with a special gift<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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