Klay Thompson and Kevin Love Played Little League Together

A little #TBT for tonight's #NBAFinals Klay Thompson and Kevin Love playing for Lake Oswego Little League in 2001. pic.twitter.com/Dsv9apfC9w
— Jen Beyrle (@JenBeyrle) June 2, 2016

Klay Thompson and Kevin Love have played ball at the same time and place before—and not just during last year's NBA Finals. In fact, for a short time, the two weren't going head-to-head. Yes, back in 2001, Love and Thompson played on the same Little League baseball team in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

While this isn't news, even to reheats (see Diamond Leung's tweet from 2014 below), these kinds of throwback athletic path-crossings seem to be getting a second look when certain players meet and the stakes are high. Take, for example, the recent reminder of Kevin Durant's first meeting with Steph Curry—set up in the timely aftermath of the Warriors-Thunder Western Conference Finals.

In a way, you could say it's no coincidence that these players meet when they're younger. The cream rises to the top. But it's fun to think of some Marty McFly–like time travel back to watch the future NBA All-Stars duke it out. And apparently, there always was a little bit of bad blood:

Klay Thompson told KNBR 1st time pitching to Kevin Love in Little League tried to brush off plate. "Beaned him right in the left shoulder."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) November 4, 2014

In case you're still puzzling, here's a blown up version of the photo:

That's Thompson down on the bottom row, all the way to the left. And if you can't figure out which kid is Love, just look up. Yeah, higher. There you are.