When Isiah Thomas hoped heaven had basketball: "They've got to have some form of recreation up there"

For some NBA players, basketball was their first love; a passion ignited the moment they first touched the ball. Similarly, Isiah Thomas ’ journey began at the tender age of 10 when he witnessed the Harlem Globetrotters in action, realizing his calling. As he matured, Zeke’s devotion to the sport intensified to the point where he contemplated whether heaven itself would have basketball. If not, he had his own plans.

Basketball was everything for Isiah

While many players treat basketball as just another job, for the Detroit Pistons point guard, it was his entire world, from his passion to his solace to his way of navigating through life’s challenges.

"It's my release. It's my outlet. If I get mad, I go shoot. It's my freedom, and it's my security. It's my drug, my high, and it's my nowhere," Zeke said . " When I'm playing, I'm nowhere. Nothing else exists. Nothing else matters. You see, nothing else goes on when you're nowhere. "

Despite playing day in and day out for 13 years, Thomas’ bond with basketball only strengthened, to the point where he couldn’t imagine life without it, even in the afterlife. Moreover, in a discussion with his wife, the 1990 Finals MVP pondered the thought of heaven lacking the presence of basketball and how boring things would get if that were to be the case.

"Lynn, do you think they have basketball in heaven?" Thomas asked his wife. "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."

Thomas credited the source even in his retirement speech

Isiah’s enduring love for basketball, a passion so strong that he couldn’t bear the thought of being without the game even after his passing, compelled him to acknowledge the Harlem Globetrotters as the catalyst for his lifelong devotion.

During his induction speech into the Hall of Fame in 2000, he credited the Globetrotters for sparking his journey into basketball.

"I remember the Harlem Globetrotters put on a show. I'll never forget Curly Neal and Marques Haynes dribbling that basketball," the former Pistons guard said . "They were dribbling like they were playing the piano. I said to myself that day, ‘I'm gonna learn how to do that.'"

Safe to say, even when he was made the face of the most despised team in the late '80s and constantly being thumped with criticism, it was his childhood passion that motivated Isiah to not give up without attaining his lifelong goal of winning the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Related: Chris Paul on being a huge fan of Isiah Thomas early in his career: "Isaiah was one of those players who went out every night to win"