Isaiah Thomas has had a pretty decorated NBA career. He made the All-Rookie team, has been named to the All-Star team twice and was in the running for the MVP award during the 2016-17 season when he was named to the All-NBA First Team.
Now 35 years old, Thomas is looking for a chance to latch on with an NBA team once again. He played 17 games with the Charlotte Hornets last season, averaging 8.3 points per game and knocking down 39.7 percent of his 3-point attempts.
With no offers coming his way this offseason, Thomas has opted to keep his NBA hopes alive by taking another route. He joined the G League, signing with the Salt Lake City Stars. His debut went about as well as it could have gone, as he showcased that he still has some of that scoring pop left in him.
Thomas scored 32 points in his impressive debut, helping lead the Stars to a 127-116 victory over the Texas Legends. He added four assists and five rebounds for a great start to his G League season.
Thomas played a major role with the team, as he received 39 minutes of playing time. He made the most of it as the Stars are certainly happy to have him in the fold. Having a player with that kind of NBA experience is always good for a G League team that is normally full of young players looking to prove themselves.
While making an appearance on Run It Back on FanDuel TV, Thomas spoke about what this experience means for him. He also touched on why he is playing in the G League when talking to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
“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,” Thomas said to Charania.
Thomas’s career has been tumultuous. He is a prime example of how quickly things can change in the NBA, as he was an MVP candidate leading the Boston Celtics to the playoffs, setting himself up for a life-changing contract.
Almost as fast as his ascension, Thomas’s career fell apart as he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers and was never able to replicate that level of production. Injuries certainly played a part, as 40 games are the most he has played in a single season since that memorable campaign with the Celtics in 2016-17.
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