Isiah Thomas was known for his exceptional skills and leadership on the court despite standing just barely 6 feet, 1 inch tall. He excelled in the big boys' league by showcasing his remarkable talent and dedication to the game. Moreover, Zeke is remembered for putting the Detroit Pistons back on the map. All those qualities once prompted former Pistons coach Chuck Daly to share a unique insight into Thomas' legacy.
During his time in Detroit, Daly witnessed how Thomas defied conventional expectations and proved that skill and determination can overcome physical limitations. He holds a firm belief that Isiah could've been the greatest player of all time if he had been born several inches taller.
"At any rate, if he had been five inches taller, I'm not sure he wouldn't have been the greatest player that ever played the game with all the characteristic he has," Daly said of Thomas during the Pistons legend's Hall of Fame induction.
Zeke once told Coach Daly what he does best
With his rare combination of agility, speed, and basketball IQ, Thomas quickly became the cornerstone of the Pistons in the 80s. He played his entire career in Detroit, where he exemplified what it means to be a true leader both on and off the court. True to form, Isiah's ability to inspire and motivate his teammates by leading by example ultimately made him arguably the greatest Pistons player of all time.
Daly revealed that Thomas was well aware that his leadership was what he did best as a player. In fact, Detroit's head coach said Zeke even once casually told him about it.
"One night [we were] crossing in the hall after a game, I said something to the effect of, 'What do you do best? He said, 'I lead best.' And of all the players I've seen come and go, he is, and that's a long career, 44 years, he is one of the greatest leaders I've ever seen and I think any player who played with him would understand what I'm talking about," Daly recalled in his speech.
Daly admired Isiah's desire to win right from the start
Daly arrived in Detroit in 1983. At the time, Thomas was already an All-Star player, but the Pistons have failed to make it to the playoffs in the past two consecutive seasons. Chuck thought he wasn't gonna be coaching the Pistons for a long period of time, but one of the main reasons why he chose to stay was the incredible display of grit and passion shown by Thomas.
That decision helped shape the future of the 80s Pistons. With Daly and Zeke in charge, Detroit became the epitome of a physical and competitive style of play in the league, hence the infamous nickname "The Bad Boys." Eventually, the head coach's brilliance and Thomas' hunger for victory resulted in back-to-back NBA championships for the Pistons.
"They had won 35 games, I think, the year before, and I thought the coach had done a pretty good job, and I thought I was in for a short term, but little did I know about the desire of this particular group and particularly the captain, Isaiah Thomas," Daly reflected.
Everybody knew Isiah could've done more
At present, Thomas is renowned as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. But while his exceptional leadership skills, court vision, and aptitude for facilitating were undeniable, many, including some of his rivals, knew he could've done more.
According to former NBA star Eddie Johnson, Zeke's repertoire wasn't limited to just being a crafty and smart playmaker. Johnson believed that Thomas could've been a scoring virtuoso if he wanted to, but that wasn't how his mentality worked. For Thomas, the goal was to win and not to fill up the stat sheet.
"I knew he was going to be special. I did," Johnson said of Thomas on NBA 75 Stories . "He's one of the most special basketball players we have had in this league and one of the most unselfish because he could have scored 30 points a game. But you know what, he understood that he couldn't continue to just chuck shots up because it wasn't producing win."
"He allowed his teammates to play a heavy hand in what they did offensively," Johnson continued. "He tuned up its defense, they came up with a mindset of how they were going to beat teams."
For modern-day NBA fans, Thomas is one of the most controversial and divisive NBA personalities in the game. Indeed, his career was marked by both remarkable success on the court and numerous controversies off the court, earning him a reputation as a polarizing NBA superstar.
However, to those who have first-hand knowledge and experience of Zeke's greatness, he was more than just a phenomenal player, admirable leader, and controversial NBA legend. Perhaps there are those like Daly who are convinced that Thomas could've been the GOAT.
Related: “No doubts about my ability to make it” - How Ben Wallace went from afterthought to cornerstone for Detroit
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