Knights' center fielder comes from family of professional athletes

CHARLOTTE — While Trayce Thompson is off to a great start with the Charlotte Knights, his brother Klay has already been making a splash this season.

Klay Thompson is part of the most dynamic backcourt in the NBA -- the Golden State Warriors -- alongside Charlotte's own Stephen Curry. The duo has earned the nickname the Splash Brothers.

"Definitely fortunate to be able to pursue our dreams. For Klay and Mikey fulfill their dreams and make it to the NBA and stuff so, it's been awesome," Trayce Thompson said.

Trayce Thompson comes from a long line of professional athletes. His father, Michael Thompson, won two rings with the Los Angeles Lakers in the late '80s. Meanwhile, his older brother Mike players for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA Development League.

"They're just my brothers and my dad to me so it's nothing new to us, but we are definitely fortunate," Klay Thompson said.

"I think just the daily grind of playing a sport like this, that he can maybe make a phone call to his father or brother and just have those conversations and keep you in the right perspective," said Knights manager Joel Skinner.

During the offseason Trayce made a trip to see his brother Klay in a few games in the Bay Area. One of them was on a day when his big brother set an NBA record, scoring 37 points in one quarter.

"Obviously I have played with him my whole life, but to see that in public, to see in the stadium and all of the people cheering for him, knowing that they were cheering specifically for him. Seeing his teammates root for him and stuff, it was definitely special, something I will never forget," Klay Thompson said.

For Trayce, growing up in a family full of basketball talent was the norm. He grew up playing football, basketball and baseball. Of the three, he always knew baseball was his passion.

"You can ask them or ask my parents, or ask any of our friends that knew us when we were kids. They knew I was a baseball person, it's just the sport I love the most. I love basketball, and I really love football too, but baseball is my thing for me," Trayce Thompson said.

In the Knights first 16 games of the 2015 season Trayce has two homeruns and 9 RBIs.

WSOC