Klay Thompson mourns loss of beloved bulldog Rocco
The news was shared by the Thompson's father, former NBA player and broadcaster Mychal Thompson, during an appearance on ESPN Los Angeles' 'Mason & Ireland' radio show on Wednesday.
'As Mase and Ireland always say, when someone dear has departed, 'Hail fellow well met,'' Mychal said. 'We had to put Rocco, Klay's dog, down over the weekend.'
Thompson added that 'it was time,' noting the dog had lived a full life.
'We were all sad, but Rocco had a great, long life,' he said. 'So today's game is dedicated to the memory of our service men and women, and to Rocco.'
Rocco became something of a celebrity in his own right as Thompson ascended to NBA superstardom. Adopted during Klay's rookie year, the bulldog was frequently featured in social media posts and interviews.
Though Rocco hadn't appeared in the spotlight recently, his presence remained significant to Thompson, who has referred to him affectionately as his 'son.' Rocco's Instagram page amassed over 61,000 followers.
Thompson, 35, completed his first season with the Dallas Mavericks this year after 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors.
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