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Naming Kobe Bryant And Tom Brady As Mentors, Isaiah Thomas Gets Emotional Over LeBron James’ Work Ethic: “He’s A Machine”

Advait Jajodia
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Naming Kobe Bryant And Tom Brady As Mentors, Isaiah Thomas Gets Emotional Over LeBron James' Work Ethic: "He's A Machine"

NBA has witnessed numerous legends dominating the court for years. Out of those, LeBron James has solidified his legacy by being one of the greatest ever. However, one doesn’t become the GOAT without putting in the work. Recently, during their conversation with some young hoopers, Jamal Crawford and Isaiah Thomas shed light on James’ incredible work ethic.

With the virtue of sharing the locker room with LeBron James, Isaiah Thomas is more than qualified to comment on his former teammate’s mentality. During this motivational session, Thomas paid his respect to his mentors – Jamal Crawford, Floyd Mayweather, Tom Brady, and Kobe Bryant – and then praised LBJ.

“He’s a machine. Like it’s crazy. He’s the first guy in there. Practice is at 11, he’s in there at 9. He’s the last guy to leave. There’s no secret to it. I’ve been able to get all these guys as mentors – Jamal, Floyd Mayweather, Tom Brady, Kobe.” 

Further, Thomas revealed that he watched LeBron for seven months and it was the ‘dopest thing ever’.

“No matter what he did the night before, he’s in there. He’s in there taking care of his body. He’s a machine, bro.” 

Hearing IT talk about Bron, it isn’t of any surprise that the latter is still dominating the league at age 38.

Back in 2017, following Kyrie Irving being traded away to the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Isaiah Thomas. Playing alongside LBJ for merely 15 games, the undersized guard recorded 14.7 points and 4.5 assists. Going 7-8 during that span, the Cavaliers eventually traded away Thomas.

Apart from LeBron James, Isaiah Thomas also holds Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady in high regards

When you’re 5ft 9”, the work required in order to be great increases exponentially. With Kobe Bryant as his mentor, a person who was known for his work ethic and determination, Thomas did put in the work.

Despite being the 60th pick of the 2011 draft, the guard was the Kings starting point guard halfway into his rookie season. During his stint with the Boston Celtics, IT averaged 24.7 points and 6 rebounds, made it to two All-Star Games, was selected to the All-NBA Team, and also was a contender for the MVP award.

Throughout his career, the southpaw has spoken about Bryant in the highest regard. Further, the Black Mamba has also provided him with a ton of confidence.

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Tom Brady has also been IT’s mentor. Regarded as the NFL GOAT, Brady shares a great relationship with Thomas. Motivating each other, in 2017, Brady went on to win the Super Bowl. Whereas, Thomas recorded 28.9 points and finished fifth in the MVP voting.

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, a seasoned NBA journalist, has had a passion for the game for over a decade. His journey from admiring Kobe Bryant's precision to being in awe of Stephen Curry's long-range mastery instilled a profound understanding of basketball. With a background as a two-time National-level player, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 21-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 3,700+ articles.

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