Isiah Thomas was among the NBA's best players in the 1980s, often considered Earvin "Magic" Johnson' s primary point guard rival. Unfortunately, Zeke did not have a championship to his name for almost a decade, but that did not make him any less bold.
Former teammate John Salley once spoke about how Thomas motivated him to keep working because Zeke was confident he could carry Salley and the rest of the team. While he did not do it alone, Thomas was the best player on a team that won back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990.
"I used to wear my ACC Championship ring from Georgia Tech, and Isiah was like, 'I'm gonna make you take that ring off and put a championship ring off that finger,'" Salley said on Vintage NBA about Thomas' confidence. "I was like, yeah, alright. He was like, 'I'm telling you, just get on my back, and we're gonna get a championship ring.'"
Thomas learned from the best
When Zeke entered the league in 1981, he got drafted by the Detroit Pistons , the league's worst team. It was an uphill battle for Thomas and the Pistons, but he kept working hard, and soon enough, they would be a Playoff team.
Magic's Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird 's Boston Celtics traded blows in the title race over the years, but that allowed Zeke and his Pistons team to continue building. Most people were not watching Detroit, but they were quietly building a superb yet unpopular team led by Isiah's brilliant point guard play.
"The Lakers and Celtics had the tradition. They seemed like they had the formula, and everything was in place," Thomas said in the same documentary series. "Magic and Larry added to that, and so if you want to learn how to win championships, that was the place you wanted to study; it's like going to Harvard."
Zeke delivered on his promises
Thomas and the Pistons continued developing into one of the strongest teams in the league. It was a gradual ascent, as they made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals in 1985 and the Conference Finals in 1987, both losing to the Celtics. In 1988, Zeke would finally exorcise the Pistons' demons by leading the team over the Celtics, only to lose to the Lakers in the Finals.
"Not only did I have to reenergize and restore my own faith and confidence, I had to make this group believe," Thomas continued. "Yeah, we missed it this time, but there's always next year when we could go after it again."
Thomas and Detroit could not be denied over the next two years, as they won the championship. It was a massive achievement for the team, especially for Thomas, who backed up all of his bold takes, including his promise to Salley.
Zeke ended his career with two championship rings and numerous individual accolades, including Finals MVP, 12 All-Star Game appearances, five All-NBA Team nods, and becoming part of the NBA's Anniversary Teams.
Thomas is a legendary player who deserves his title as the "best small man" in basketball not only for his success but also because he was always confident he could achieve it.
Related: "Your reputation as a 'Bad Boy' it kind of means people aren't going to like you" - David Robinson talks about Isiah Thomas' Dream Team omission
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