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“Don’t ever call me the N-word”: Isiah Thomas checks NBA fan for using ni*** while commenting on Michael Jordan and Dream Team Documentary

Amulya Shekhar
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“Isiah Thomas deserved to be on the Dream Team”: When Clyde Drexler Sat Next to Scottie Pippen and Supported Pistons Legend

Isiah Thomas rebuked a Twitter user for referring to him using the N-word while talking about the 1992 Dream Team.

With Team USA slated to grace Tokyo 2020 for the first time on July 26, a lot of the buzz around the Olympics basketball tournament is about arguably the greatest sports team of all time.

The Dream Team was more than just a sports team – it was a cultural phenomenon. This was the first time that audiences across the globe got to witness how truly great the NBA and its players were.

This team had 11(!) Hall of Famers, with all of them being voted in on the first ballot. They beat their opponents by an average margin of 44 points en route the most lopsided gold medal quest ever.

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However, getting the team together, chock full of NBA rivals who’d met each other in the Finals, was not easy. This was the aspect that the Dream Team documentary focused on.

Isiah Thomas is commonly considered the greatest point guard not named Magic Johnson from the 1980s. He was the leader of the Bad Boy Pistons team which won 2 championships and made another Finals series in 3 straight years.

Despite the fact that the Dream Team was coached by Isiah’s own Pistons head coach, he did not find a spot on the final roster. The aforementioned documentary explores the reasons behind this in some depth.

Isiah Thomas checks NBA fan for using ni*** while commenting on the Dream Team Documentary

A Twitter user posted the following statement on his profile a few hours ago:

“After rewatching Isiah Thomas’ interview on him not being on the ’92 Dream Team, it made me realize that this ni*** is delusional. Regardless of talent, which he had, he was one of the most hated players cuz he embodied and led the “Bad Boy” Pistons era.”

Thomas has probably heard the same critique a bazillion times over the past few decades. But what got him was the liberal use of a slur that is unacceptable in this day and age. He made sure to let his true feelings be known.

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It wasn’t just Michael Jordan who objected to Isiah being on the roster. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Scottie Pippen all voiced their reasons for not wanting to play with Isiah.

Even without this honor, Thomas remains an essential part of the fabric of NBA history. He can rest easy knowing that his place in NBA folklore is secure.

About the author

Amulya Shekhar

Amulya Shekhar

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Amulya Shekhar is a sports junkie who thrives on the thrills and frills of live sports action across basketball, football (the American variant works too), parkour, adventure sports. He believes sports connect us to our best selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically.

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