Hoosier State of Mind
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Indiana basketball: 10 best NBA careers in Hoosiers history

By Josh Yourish

Jan 7, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Victor Oladipo (4) dribbles the ball up court in front of forward Cody Zeller (40) and Penn State Nittany Lions forward Sasa Borovnjak (21) during the second half at the Bryce Jordan Center. Indiana defeated Penn State 74-51. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 7, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Victor Oladipo (4) dribbles the ball up court in front of forward Cody Zeller (40) and Penn State Nittany Lions forward Sasa Borovnjak (21) during the second half at the Bryce Jordan Center. Indiana defeated Penn State 74-51. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
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PONTIAC, MI – CIRCA 1987: Isiah Thomas #11 of the Detroit Pistons looks on with head coach Chuck Daly whiles there’s a break in the action during an NBA basketball game circa 1987 at The Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan . Thomas played for the Pistons from 1981-94. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PONTIAC, MI – CIRCA 1987: Isiah Thomas #11 of the Detroit Pistons looks on with head coach Chuck Daly whiles there’s a break in the action during an NBA basketball game circa 1987 at The Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan . Thomas played for the Pistons from 1981-94. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

No. 1 best Indiana basketball NBA career: Isiah Thomas

  • Drafted: 1981 No. 2 overall
  • NBA games played: 979
  • NBA PPG: 19.2
  • 1990 NBA Finals MVP
  • 2000 NBA Hall of Fame inductee

Isiah Thomas was a champion in college, leading Bobby Knight’s Hoosiers to the 1981 national championship. He was the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and the Detroit Pistons promptly selected him No. 2 overall in that year’s NBA draft.

Thomas kept up his winning ways in the NBA, leading the Pistons to win the 1989 and 1990 NBA Finals. He was named the 1990 Finals MVP. His most heroic performance came in the 1988 NBA Finals which Detroit lost to the Lakers.

Thomas was the quintessential point guard, averaging 19.2 points and 9.3 assists for his career. He was an All-Star every season but his last and was All-NBA five times. Injuries caught up with the undersized Thomas and he retired after just 13 seasons, but was a surefire Hall of Famer, inducted in 2000.

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