{
“placeholderType”: “BANNER”
}
Comeback of a forgotten star
Isaiah Thomas was the top star of NBA record champions Boston eight years ago, but injury problems slowed him down badly and his career seemed to be over – now he’s back!
Isaiah Thomas began his NBA career with the Sacramento Kings in 2011
© IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
He was once an elite player in the NBA, then injuries set him back so far that his career seemed to be over – is he now making a remarkable comeback?
{
“placeholderType”: “MREC”
}
As league insider Shams Charania of The Athletic reports, Isaiah Thomas will sign a short-term deal with the Phoenix Suns. So he could be celebrating his return there alongside Kevin Durant and Co. almost two years after his last NBA game to date.
It is the unexpected continuation of a special story.
Everything about the NBA on SPORT1.de
Isaiah Thomas’ NBA career took a bitter turn
Thomas, named after Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas (his father was a fan of the rival LA Lakers and had made a bet to name his son after the nemesis of “Magic” Johnson and Co.), was one of them between 2015 and 2017 best players in the league.
{
“placeholderType”: “MREC”
}
With the Boston Celtics, the point guard matured into a two-time All-Star and led the record champions to first place in the Eastern Conference in 2017 with a personal points average of 28.9.
During the playoffs, however, Thomas’ chronic hip injury worsened – which developed into a lasting career hindrance. Thomas also experienced a personal tragedy during the playoffs: His sister Chyna died in a car accident in April 2017.
World champion power! The German stars of the NBA
Outstanding comeback in the farm league
The injury-plagued Thomas was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers and developed into a wandering bird who fell into decline in terms of sport and no longer came close to reaching his old level.
Since his career peak in 2017, he has always missed more than half of the season’s games, often significantly more. After a final engagement with the Charlotte Hornets in 2022, he no longer received a contract – but he never gave up his hope of a return.
{
“placeholderType”: “MREC”
}
Earlier this month, Thomas signed with the Salt Lake City Stars, the Utah Jazz’s farm team in the NBA G-League. There he showed flashes of his old class again in the last few weeks, scoring over 30 points in four games.
Thomas thus caught the attention of the Suns, to whom he will now return after nine years.
Phoenix Suns grab it
The Suns were Thomas’ second career stop between 2014 and 2015 after the Sacramento Kings and before the Celtics. They currently have a personnel shortage at the guard position due to injuries to Damion Lee and Josh Okogie.
Thomas’ deal with the Suns is initially scheduled to last ten days, a period that is common practice in the NBA. If Thomas decides, a longer-term follow-up contract would be the logical consequence.
“I love this s**t too much,” Thomas recently told The Athletic when asked why he hasn’t given up on the dream of an NBA comeback: “It would be easy to throw it down and stay at home. Anyone can do that. But I just know: I still have a lot more left in the tank.”
2024-03-17 18:49:35
#Remarkable #comeback #fallen #top #star
