Indiana Basketball: Most underrated of all time? The case for Isiah Thomas
Thomas was more than a Bad Boy
Kids that don’t know anything about basketball history will see the documentary and come to know Isiah Thomas as the thug who beat up Michael Jordan and walked off the court without shaking his hand. Young Kyrie Irving fans will never know he was the original version of their favorite player; one who actually won a championship as the best player on his team.
Thomas has more All-Star appearances than Steve Nash, Vince Carter, Gary Payton, Allen Iverson, Patrick Ewing, Ray Allen, Carmelo Anthony, and Charles Barkley and is tied in All-Star appearances with Larry Bird and Bill Russell. Yet he is rarely mentioned in the same breath as these players by the casual basketball fan.
If Magic Johnson had never existed, Isiah Thomas would have been known as the unquestionable best point guard of his era. If the Pistons hadn’t taken the role of NBA villains, the fan base of every other team may have respected Thomas instead of viewing him as the leader of an evil army out to hurt their team’s best player. And if we had a time machine to give to Thomas and bring him in his prime to 2020, he would be beloved by kids everywhere just like Kyrie is.
Isiah Thomas was dazzling as a player just like Kyrie Irving, but he was a consistent winner. He may have been a part of a team famous for beating up opponents, but he also had an unmatched smile which is among the brightest in NBA history. Isiah Thomas was all the “cool” that compelled little Luke to adopt Kyrie as his idol, but without all the problems.
Students of the game will recognize the greatness of Isiah Thomas, and those that watched him play can recall his impact on the game (if they are without bias). But sadly, as we get farther and farther away from his retirement, his memory will begin to fade more and more. Yeah, Magic, Bird, and Jordan were great, but Isiah Thomas was a player who gave them all fits.
Next. Indiana Basketball: Possible 2020 starting lineups – Experience. dark
It is for all these reasons that Isiah Thomas has a case for the most underrated NBA superstar of all time. Had he not held himself back in the name of greatness, he would be known as one of the most highlight-centric players in the history of the game. He should be known now as a thrillingly talented superstar who valued team success above his own and sacrificed his own statistics and ego without second thoughts.
Instead — at least among young people — he is not known as any of these things. He is rarely even mentioned as an all-time great. And as Hoosier fans, that should not be okay with us.