Isiah Thomas Era
The Hall of Fame point guard who led the Bad Boys to glory.
Isiah Thomas, known as "Zeke," played his entire NBA career with the Detroit Pistons, leading the "Bad Boys" to back-to-back championships in 1988–89 and 1989–90. He was a 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, and the 1990 NBA Finals MVP.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Point Guard
- Jersey number
- 11
- Nba championships
- 2
- Finals mvp awards
- 1
- All-star selections
- 12
- Hall of fame
- Inducted 2000
Lore & Background
Thomas scored 25 points in the third quarter of Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals while playing on a severely sprained ankle, setting an NBA Finals record for most points in a quarter (outright). Despite his heroics, the Pistons lost Game 6 and the series to the Lakers. He led the Pistons to their first title in 1989 with a sweep of the Lakers, and repeated as champion in 1990, earning Finals MVP.
Reader's Guide
Thomas was the second overall pick in the 1981 NBA draft. He wore No. 11 because his favorite youth player, Sammy Puckett, wore that number. He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.
Did You Know?
- Thomas scored 47 points and had 17 assists in a double-overtime win over the Denver Nuggets on December 13, 1983.
- He scored 16 points in 94 seconds to force overtime in a 1984 playoff game against the Knicks.
- Thomas's mother Mary was the subject of the Emmy-winning TV film A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story.
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