Isiah Thomas
The Hall of Fame point guard who led the Detroit Pistons' 'Bad Boys' to back-to-back NBA championships.
Isiah Lord Thomas III (born April 30, 1961), also known as "Zeke", is an American former professional basketball player who is a current analyst for NBA TV and Fox Sports. He played his entire professional career for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Quick Facts
- Primary role
- Former Player
- Coach
- Executive
- Nba championships
- 2
- All-star selections
- 12
- Hall of fame induction
- 2000
- Signature team
- Detroit Pistons
- Status
- Retired
Lore & Background
Thomas played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, leading them to the 1981 NCAA championship as a sophomore. He was taken as the second overall pick by the Pistons in the 1981 NBA draft. He led the "Bad Boys" to the 1988–89 and 1989–90 NBA championships. In Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals, while hobbling on a severely sprained ankle, Thomas scored 25 points in the third quarter, an NBA Finals record.
Reader's Guide
Thomas was a two-time NBA champion, an NBA Finals MVP recipient, a five-time All-NBA Team member, a 12-time NBA All-Star with two All-Star Game MVP awards, and the 1985 NBA assist leader. He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. From 2000 to 2012 he coached the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and FIU.
Did You Know?
- Thomas scored 47 points and recorded 17 assists in a triple-overtime win over the Denver Nuggets on December 13, 1983.
- His mother Mary was the subject of an Emmy award-winning television film in 1989, A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story.
- Thomas wore a No. 11 jersey because his favorite youth basketball player, Sammy Puckett, had also done so.
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