Tristan Thompson calls for 2030 Special Olympics to be brought to Cleveland

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Cleveland Cavaliers veteran big man Tristan Thompson is advocating for the 2030 Special Olympics to be held in Cleveland.

โ€œHey Cleveland, click our bio so we can get the 2030 Special Olympics here in The Land,โ€ Thompson said. โ€œEverybody go to the bio, follow the instructions โ€“ we want the 2023 Special Olympics in The Land. Come on guys, letโ€™s go.โ€

Itโ€™s great to see Thompson supporting the Special Olympics, especially since there are many impressive athletes that would get to come to Cleveland to showcase their skills if the city gets the honor of hosting.

Special Olympics is focused on inclusion, allowing every single person to be accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability. The international program provides individuals with intellectual disabilities that are eight years of age or older with sports training and competition throughout the year.

Bringing such an amazing event and cause to Cleveland certainly is something that Thompson and the Cavs appear to be on board for.

Thompson, 33, has spent the majority of his NBA career playing for the Cavs, and he recently re-signed with the team for the 2024-25 season.

Back in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Cavs selected Thompson with the No. 4 overall pick.

A key cog on the Cavs team that won the 2016 NBA Finals, Thompson spent the 2023-24 season with the Cavs, helping them make the playoffs and reach the second round against the Boston Celtics.

While he isnโ€™t the same player that he used to be, Thompson is still a respected veteran leader in the Cavsโ€™ locker room.

Last season, Thompson appeared in 49 games for the Cavs and averaged 3.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. He shot 60.8 percent from the field in the regular season.

In the playoffs, Thompson averaged 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game. With Jarrett Allen going down with an injury in the playoffs, Thompson was relied upon a little more than some Cavs fans may have expected in the postseason, playing in 10 of the teamโ€™s 12 games.

Cleveland would love to make a deep playoff run in the 2024-25 season, and it has steadily improved since Donovan Mitchell joined the franchise, reaching the first round of the playoffs in the 2022-23 season and the second round last season.

Thompson will look to provide leadership, guidance and potentially some key bench minutes to the Cavs in the 2024-25 season.

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Peter is a graduate of Quinnipiac University where he covered the MAAC and college basketball for three years. He has worked for NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering basketball and other major sports. Follow him on Twitter @peterdewey2.