Storyline: The NBA has evolved into a guard’s league. And one of the best is Steph … make that Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics. Don’t doubt Thomas. He’s on track to produce 1600 points and 500 assists this year.
Kobe Bryant walked off the court last night for the final time. As a 6’6” small forward Bryant dominated the game for 20 years.
But a lot has changed over those years. And one thing that changed is this: the NBA has evolved into a guard’s game. Literally everybody knows about Stephen Curry, the 6’3” point guard of the Golden State Warriors. He shoots from anywhere on the floor and sets the tempo offensively.
Courtesy: Youtube.com
But there’s another point guard on the rise, somebody you probably don’t know as well. He’s Isaiah Thomas, #4, of the Boston Celtics. Don’t confuse him with days of old and “the other’ NBA Isiah Thomas of Detroit ‘Bad Boys’ fame.
I met younger Thomas during All-Star Weekend in Toronto. I almost didn’t realize who was standing in front of me. He’s short in stature, 5’9”, and wore a grey tracksuit. I approached him, saying how inspiring it was to see him there. The reason: he’s come a long, long way.
Thomas was taken last in the 2011 NBA Draft. Now, here he is, five years later, an NBA All-Star–the first Celtic to make the team since both Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo in 2013.
Thomas told me how much he appreciated my words.
Isaiah Thomas is slowly becoming a household name, all the while staying humble. His first team, the Sacramento Kings, let him go after three years. They had signed Darren Collison, whom they insisted was a better passer. Then the Phoenix Suns signed him late in free agency. Thomas wanted to be a starter but the chemistry was never right. That relationship didn’t last and Isaiah wound up in Boston.
Courtesy: Boston Globe
An important moment came in March 2015 when he landed hard on his elbow after being fouled by Miami’s Dwyane Wade. Through the pain he heard teammate, Jae Crowder, tell him: “Get up IT. We need you.” Thomas remembers those words. Later, he said: “If Jae hadn’t said that I wouldn’t have got up. That’s how bad I was hurting. It was like, ‘They really want me to finish this game.’ It’s something I can’t explain. It’s something I’ve always wanted.”
Just like that, and after a long journey, Thomas finally found a team that believed in and appreciate him.
But some still underestimate him. Thomas carries himself with confidence, despite his height. He appears bigger than he is, seemingly an equal to a guy who’s a foot taller. That’s because of his swagger.
He’s allowed freedom to score and create, but he’s also empowered to lead. With new-found confidence and comfort on the court he’s the only player in the NBA to average 22.0 points, 6.0 assists and commit fewer than 3.0 turnovers per game. He’s on track to become only the third player in Celtics history to have 1600 or more points and 500 or more assists in a season. He’ll join Larry Bird and John Havlicek if he ends up producing those numbers.
Courtesy: Pinterest.com
And, with Thomas, the Celtics have emerged as one of the better teams in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Thomas says “they expect a lot out of me, on and off the court. I’m ready for that.”
That’s the right mindset going into playoffs. The Celtics, having clinched the 5th seed in the East, will face the Atlanta Hawks. The last time these two teams met–in the 2011-12 playoffs–Boston beat Atlanta in 6 games in Round 1.
Who knows what will happen this year. But one thing’s for sure: you’ll be hearing a lot more about Isaiah Thomas. A lot more…
