Everybody loves an underdog. Everybody loves a story about hard work paying off, about never giving in. Everyone loves a little guy who can hoop on the big stage, a dude—built like you and me—who can defeat the Goliaths, defy the odds and inspire us to scale the mountains that we meet on our journey of life.
Like undersized icons Spud Webb, Muggsy Bogues, Earl Boykins and Nate Robinson who went before him, Isaiah Thomas’ NBA journey is one that die-hard and casual fans alike have taken to. We’ve fed off of the unlikely nature of their success and received a fresh dose of inspiration while observing their highs and lows. IT would surpass his short-guy predecessors, though, with 30+ games becoming the norm. When he joined the Boston Celtics in 2015, he was far from a novelty act and would comfortably step up to the role as the team’s key player.
Isaiah Thomas was never supposed to be on the cover of SLAM, just like he was never meant to get drafted, become a deadly scorer or establish himself as a superstar on a storied franchise like the Celtics. The cover of SLAM 208 was a defiance of all these odds and an image that every fan of basketball could appreciate.
His journey has been epitomized by hard work and a refusal to give in. Despite battling serious injury, devastating personal tragedy and crushing trades that had him bouncing around the League in recent years, he kept on grinding. And he continues to…
For me, Boston was always the best fit for Isaiah, regardless of how things ended. There’s something in that Celtic tradition of grit and hard work that equated to success that suited what he was all about. That same grit saw some serious progress made by the young Celtics team in this year’s pursuit of a championship. Although they were beaten to the title by a team building on a new, 21st-century dynasty for the ages, they were damn close. Don’t rule out the Celtics reclaiming that dynasty, though. And don’t rule Isaiah Thomas out either. I have a feeling that his NBA journey isn’t finished yet.
