Former NBA guard Isaiah Thomas could easily rest on his laurels, if he so chose.
Thomas made $34.4 million in the NBA, after all. A degree of adulation toward him in Boston is guaranteed after his 28.9-point-per-game season for the Boston Celtics in 2017; fans of the Sacramento Kings may look back on his time there fondly as well.
However, Thomas is attempting a comeback at age 35 in the G League anyway. On Friday morning’s edition of Run It Back on FanDuel TV, the two-time All-Star explained the rationale for his return.
“Ultimately I’m just fighting for an opportunity. I’m just trying to show teams that I’m still able to produce on the court,” Thomas said. “But most importantly, I’m able to teach these young guys—show them each and every day how to be a professional.”
"Ultimately I'm just fighting for an opportunity, I'm just trying to show teams that I'm still able to produce on the court, but I'm also most importantly, I'm able to teach these young guys."@isaiahthomas on why he's playing in the G-League.
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 8, 2024
📺: https://t.co/oxMs3CAEGu pic.twitter.com/rUSsQJNR6O
On Thursday, Thomas put his money where his mouth was for the Salt Lake City Stars. He tallied 32 points in a 127–116 victory over the Texas Legends—albeit on 23 field goal attempts.
Thomas has not played in the NBA since a 14-point performance for the Charlotte Hornets in a 124–108 win over the Washington Wizards on April 10, 2022.
