Isiah Thomas was so in love with the game of basketball, to the point where he genuinely wondered what he’d do if the sport didn’t exist in heaven.
Advertisement
Thomas lives on in NBA history as one of the greatest point guards to play the game. He won two NBA Finals, made the All-Star game 12 times, and is a member of the Hall of Fame.
His passion for the game clearly translated into success on the court, and this passion is something that came out a lot during Thomas’ life. Basketball meant everything to him, and as a result, he wondered how heaven would be like, and if he’d be able to play the game he loved once he got there.
What was the first pair of sneakers you bought with your own money?
Adidas Top-Tens. 1979. I was 12. Had to have them. Mowed a lot of yards to get them. Isiah Thomas made them legendary in 1981. While. In. College… https://t.co/ruhXgz1HmP pic.twitter.com/GoToJJdjAe
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) August 5, 2021
Isiah Thomas Questioned His Wife Lynn Kendall About The Meta Of Basketball
Thomas knew that basketball would become his life ever since he was inspired by the Harlem Globetrotters. Thomas spoke about the impact the travelling basketball club had on him during his Hall of Fame induction speech saying:
“I remember the Harlem Globetrotters put on a show. I’ll never forget Curly Neal and Marques Haynes dribbling that basketball. They were dribbling like they were playing the piano. I said to myself that day, ‘I’m gonna learn how to do that.’”
Seeing this kind of love, you have to imagine how Isiah Thomas felt about his future with basketball, even when he died. Engaging in a religious and deep conversation with his wife Lynn Kendall, Thomas wondered about whether heaven had basketball.
He asked her:
“Lynn, do you think they have basketball in heaven?”
To which she replied:
“I sure hope they do. They’ve got to have some form of recreation up there. I mean, sitting around eating grapes would be cool for a while, but you have to have something to do. I sure do hope they play ball. If not, I’ll be the Naismith of heaven.”
This conversation clearly illustrates the kind of dedication Thomas had to the game as he made it his everything, something he felt he couldn’t live without even after he died.
Thomas is an iconic piece of NBA history, being the face of the ‘Bad Boy Pistons’ who dominated the league with their aggressive and rough style of play on both sides of the ball. Conversations like these show just how committed he was to basketball and becoming an all-time great.
