Isaiah Thomas has been overcoming long odds throughout his NBA career, so he’s not going to let his age and injury history spoil his hopes of another comeback, writes Dylan Ackerman of Cronkite News. The 35-year-old guard, who participated in workouts with the Kings last month, talked about what motivates him to keep going during a recent appearance with some other NBA stars at the ZekeEnd Tournament in Tacoma, Washington.
“I just enjoy the process, but I know what I’m fighting against,” Thomas said. “I understand it, but I’ve had that same fight my whole life. This is just normal to me. It’s just another stage I have to get by. I really want to just play two or three more years and then focus on my kids. That’s the ultimate goal and we’re just going to keep fighting until the end.”
Thomas has already put together a remarkable career for a 5’9″ guard who wasn’t selected until the final pick of the 2011 draft. After three years in Sacramento and a half-season in Phoenix, Thomas found stardom after being traded to the Celtics in 2015. He made his first All-Star appearance during the 2015/16 season, averaging 22.2 points and 6.2 assists per game. He was even better the following year, earning second-team All-NBA honors and finishing fifth in the MVP voting while putting up 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per night.
However, a hip injury in that year’s playoffs caused his career to spiral as quickly as it ascended. He was sent to Cleveland during the offseason as part of a Kyrie Irving trade, but only appeared in 15 games before being shipped to the Lakers at the trade deadline.
Thomas has spent time with eight teams since the injury, but has only cracked the 40-game mark with one of them. That happened with Washington in 2019/20, which Ackerman notes is the last time Thomas has been able to land a contract before the start of a season.
Thomas earned two 10-day deals with the Suns last season and signed a standard contract in April that made him eligible for the playoffs. However, he only appeared in six games with Phoenix and made one brief postseason appearance.
“Basketball has been my life,” Thomas said. “I’ve focused on one thing my whole life. Most don’t really focus on one single thing that long. I’ve loved the game of basketball, and it’s done wonders for my life. I’ve been across the world, I made tons of money around basketball. I just love it. I love everything about the game. I love the process. I love the good, the bad. I’m still at an age where I can still play at a high level. I always say that I have the same feeling going to the gym now that I did when I was a kid. I know when that goes away, it’s time to just try to find something else.”
It’s not clear if Thomas made a strong impression on the Kings during his workouts or if the team ever considered signing him. Sacramento has one spot open on its training camp roster and just 12 players with fully guaranteed contracts. Thomas also worked out for Milwaukee in July, but the Bucks have a full roster and there’s never been any indication that they made him an offer.
Regardless of whether he winds up in somebody’s training camp, Thomas is determined to keep pursuing his NBA dream.
“I believe in myself more than anybody would,” he said. “I just feel like why not keep going and why not show the world what perseverance looks like, what fighting through adversity looks like. Then being able to do it with a smile on your face.”
This is sad at this point
He got greedy after some good years in Boston and should have taken the money they offered.
I thought groundhog day was in February?
How much is IT paying you guys to keep writing articles about him?
Half of what Kaepernick pays Pro Football Rumors to write about him
He should have gone to europe a long time ago, that might have put him back in the nba by now but he was too weak to make that move
Time to go overseas
He’s got millions so it’s not like he needs a job to put food on the table. If he’s happy trying again and again then more power to him.
Agreed. But there’s nothing newsworthy about it.
Brinks truck…
Back that KIA up and open the trunk
Delusional 35 year old athlete refuses to let his dream die. I get it with IT, he was an elite superstar before his injury, but his injury turned him into a bad NBA player who likely might not even be able to get a job in Europe – why not just get into media?
Why not let him do what he wants? If he’s happy to continue the grind, I don’t see the problem. Fruitless? Very likely. Delusional? I have no idea what his frame of mind is. But at some point he won’t even be able to get a workout with teams. And at that point—probably within the next year or two—his decision will be made for him unless he’s willing to move overseas. More importantly, still plenty of time for a fulfilling post-basketball life even if he puts it off awhile longer.