Isaiah Thomas: The Road Back to the League
The chips have always been stacked against Isaiah Thomas. At the High School level people never really believed in him, told him he was too short to play at the next level. He got it done anyway. At the University of Washington came the same criticism, with scouts and “experts” saying he was too short to play in the NBA. Then with the very last draft pick in the 2011 NBA draft, he was selected by the Sacramento Kings. He’d shock the world by not only making it to the league but actually balling out. In life, you must take the good with the bad, and After being hampered by a few injuries and the subsequent subpar play that came along with those injuries, Thomas finds himself on the outside looking in. Not on an NBA roster and searching for a squad to call his own.
Jamal Crawford’s CrawsOver Seattle Pro-Am IG
Thomas is back! He’s 100% healthy and ready to make an immediate impact for any team that will give him a chance to redeem himself. He gave the world a sneak peek of what to expect from him on the court by, according to Ballstar, dropping 37 at the world famous Drew League, 65 at AEBL in Atlanta following up that up with an 81 point output at Jamal Crawford’s Crawsover Pro-Am in Seattle. The two-time NBA All-Star sat down with Jalen Rose (See Blow) and told him that those performances were no fluke. “I’m in a great mental space again. Physically, I’m back 100%… I’d never think that I’d ever feel this way again”.
“I’m in a great mental space again. Physically, I’m back 100%… I’d never think that I’d ever feel this way again”.
After the 81 point performance at AEBL Thomas had plenty of emotions running around in his head. He broke down in the locker room at the mere thought of his NBA window being closed. Thomas, the 2 time NBA All-Star has had a rough few years after a hip injury derailed his progress. He hopped around the league a little bit and now he’s hoping for a chance to show and prove that he belongs in the NBA. About 4 teams have expressed interest, including the new-look Los Angeles Lakers who have recently bolstered their roster with some star power. The Boston Celtics have also emerged as a potential suitor for IT’s services.
Photo courtesy of Drew League IG
All he can do now is wait and hope for the best. The Point Guard position is by far the most volatile position in the game. Every year there seems to be a new crop of PG’s earning their stripes. Only the elite can withstand the grind year after year. Now that IT is healthy again will he be able to earn another shot in the league or is a professional career overseas in his future eminent? That remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain, and that is that Isaiah Thomas has always defied the odds. He’s a special type of talent who can definitely contribute to a NBA roster right now. Let’s see if the league GM’s and scouts feel the same way. Story developing.
***Cover photo by Overtime Grant grantsvintage.com