MINNEAPOLIS - They just couldn't wait, even if their son's first NBA road trip would graze his hometown just four games in.
So it was out of Mt. Laurel, N.J. and off to Minnesota for Chuck and Sharyn Thompson. I ran into the parents of Kings rookie forward Jason Thompson in the way into the game a few moments ago, when Chuck was on the phone trying to find his tickets and Sharyn was beaming with pride about her boy.
They don't plan on missing a minute of his early action, as they will travel next to Miami, Orlando and Philadelphia before flying back to Sacramento for the Nov. 5 home opener. The schedule fell perfectly in their favor, as their younger son and highly touted 6-foot-7 guard, Ryan Thompson, begins his junior season at Rider on Nov. 8 in Lawrenceville, N.J.
ALL EYES ON JEFFERSON
The Al Jefferson era in Minnesota is in full effect after he was traded to the T-wolves from Boston two summers ago, and the evidence of the current state of his transition was in this morning's Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
'DISPLACED KINGS FANS' enjoy game
While chatting with the Thompsons on the way in, I was greeted by self-described 'displaced Kings fans Andrew and Brady Zalasky. The father and 9-year-old son live in Iowa and made the long drive because of the timing of the schedule. The Kings typically visit later in the winter, meaning more snow and plenty of motivation to not make the drive. Andrew, who grew up in Sacramento, had proof of his longtime allegiances as he held up his old-school Reggie Theus T-shirt while Brady sported a Beno Udrih jersey.
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