“I’m not motivated by anything else but the love of the game. And, you know, I think that’s the difference between me and a lot of other players and how people always ask how do you keep going? I really love it.”
Back in Decemeber, Isaiah Thomas talked to SLAM about his love for the game. Now, three months later, there’s something special about seeing IT not only step up, but show out after signing a series of 10-day contracts and hoopin’ in the G League.
The Hornets recently signed Thomas to a deal after three explosive outings with the Denver Nuggets’ NBA G-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, where he scored 42, 45, and 46 points, respectively. The last showcase was against the Hornets’ G League team, the Greensboro Swarm. In his debut as a Charlotte Hornet on Wednesday, Thomas contributed 10 points, five rebounds, and three assists in only 14 minutes of action off the bench to help lead Charlotte to a much-needed 119-98 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He scored his first points as a Hornet off a simple pin-down action that sprung him open for a sweet pull-up from beyond the arc.
Isaiah Thomas scores his first points as a Hornet 🙌 pic.twitter.com/xNtbdB0ZlS
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 3, 2022
After the game, Terry Rozier shared what makes him so excited about reuniting with the former All-Star in a Hornets uniform.
“He never ceases to amaze me, the way he can put the ball in the basket,” Rozier said of Thomas, his former teammate in Boston via ESPN. “With his leadership and his voice, he’s already making a difference in the locker room.”
This is not the first time the Washington product started out the gate fast on a 10-day contract. In December, Thomas led the Los Angeles Lakers in scoring with 19 points in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
🔥 @isaiahthomas puts up 19 points in his return to the @Lakers and his 2021-22 NBA debut! pic.twitter.com/tgblSNIWGX
— NBA (@NBA) December 18, 2021
The Hornets will be Thomas’ 10th NBA stop over his 12-year career, including a memorable three-year tenure with the Boston Celtics. During his time in Beantown, Thomas was made the All-Star Game twice and earned a Second-Team All-NBA selection in 2017.
