Klay Thompson Mourns Death of Beloved Bulldog Rocco at 13

San Francisco, CA — Klay Thompson, the star guard for the Golden State Warriors, is mourning the loss of his beloved English bulldog, Rocco, who passed away at the age of 13. The sad news was revealed by Thompson’s father, Mychal, during an appearance on ESPN‘s The Mason and Ireland Show.

Rocco had been with Thompson since his rookie season, and the pair shared a strong bond throughout Thompson’s illustrious career. Thompson took to social media to express his grief, sharing a heartfelt tribute on Instagram. “I’m gonna miss Rocco a lot, 13 glorious years with my boy,” he wrote. “I know he’s in doggy heaven poppin’ somebody’s ball. A great dynasty dog he was. Thank you for all the sweet messages! All dogs go to Heaven!”

The Warriors organization also paid tribute to Rocco, stating, “Forever part of the Warriors family. Rest in peace, Rocco.” This sentiment reflects the bulldog’s place not only in Thompson’s life but within the team atmosphere, as Rocco often accompanied Thompson to games and public appearances.

During a 2019 interview with GQ Sports, Thompson called Rocco his “No. 1 essential” and expressed how special the bulldog was to him. “He’s a loyal steed,” Thompson said at the time, highlighting the unique companionship the two shared.

As news of Rocco’s passing spread, tributes poured in from fans, teammates, and even celebrities. Mavericks players and hip-hop artist G-Eazy shared their condolences in the comments of Thompson’s Instagram post, showing the impact Rocco had on the broader community.

Thompson’s father, Mychal, confirmed the decision to put Rocco down was a difficult but necessary step. He explained, “It was time. We were all sad, but Rocco had a great, long life.” The Thompson family held a private farewell to bid goodbye to their canine companion last weekend.