Every undersized guard at some point in time took inspiration from Allen Iverson. Isaiah Thomas was no exception. He didn’t have a career as distinguished as Iverson did. However, Thomas revealed that he once believed that he was about to take over the league like AI.
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IT has been struggling to get a seat in the NBA for the past few years. Therefore, many fans were surprised when the 35-year-old took to X and shared a fan tweet that glorified his impressive performance during the 2016-2017 season.
The fan shared a Simpsons graphic of Grandpa telling a story to a group of kids as if to remind young NBA fans of the league’s history. He wrote in the caption, “The 2016 Isaiah Thomas season was one of the most dominant offensive seasons in NBA history. It didn’t matter who it was, he was cooking your favorite player for an efficient 29/6 and there was nothing they could do about it.”
Sharing the fan’s take, Thomas claimed that he was set to have an “AI” type of run in the league. “Nothing at all!!!!! Was about to take this sh*t over like Iverson did frfr. Good times for sure,” Thomas wrote.
Nothing at all!!!!! Was about to take this shit over like Iverson did frfr. Good times for sure https://t.co/czemyxrOQa
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) October 7, 2024
Iverson is the greatest 6-foot-and-under player in the NBA’s history. The Answer thrived in the NBA for 14 long years and racked up one of the greatest resumes for a point guard—11 All-Stars, seven All-NBA nominations, four scoring titles, and the 2001 MVP. The Philly legend also averaged a staggering 26.7 points per game throughout his career.
It is difficult for any undersized guard to replicate the same success Iverson witnessed. Nevertheless, Thomas had a respectable career as a player picked 60th overall in the draft.
IT was a role player for the majority of his career. But he did dominate the league during the 2016-2017 season. The leader of the Boston Celtics averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game on 46.3% shooting. Apart from finishing #1 in the East, the 5ft 9” star also led the Cs to their first conference finals appearance since the 2011-2012 season.
Unfortunately, Thomas suffered a horrific injury subsequently, preventing him from performing at an All-Star level. Since then, he has been on a downward trajectory.
Thomas bounced around the league immediately after his All-NBA campaign
Thomas’ incredible 2016-2017 season came to an end after sustaining a right hip injury during the tail end of the 2017 postseason. This injury altered the course of his career.
The long list of issues that the guard faced with respect to his right hip included loss of cartilage, arthritis, inflammation, and a torn labrum. Thomas made his return to the league 10 months later, playing merely 32 games in the subsequent season.
The southpaw has constantly been jumping ship since the injury – representing eight franchises in less than six years. He last played six games for the Phoenix Suns during the 2023-2024 campaign, but had no positive impact (1.3 points per game) for Kevin Durant and Co.
It is improbable for IT to receive yet another ten-day contract. While he continues to make a push at an NBA return, it seems like retirement is the only viable option now.
