Isiah Thomas

basketball player; entrepreneur

Personal Information

Born Isiah Lord Thomas III, April 30, 1961, in Chicago, IL; son of Isiah Lord II (a plant foreman) and Mary (a civil service employee) Thomas; married Lynn Kendall (a teacher), 1985; children: two.
Education: Indiana University, B.A., 1987.

Career

Professional basketball player with Detroit Pistons, 1981-94. Member of U.S. Olympic basketball team, 1980; vice-president of National Basketball Association Players Association, 1986-89, president, 1989-94; vice president of basketball operations, Toronto Raptors, 1994-97; NBA analyst and sportscaster, NBC Sports, 1997-; chairman and chief executive officer, Continental Basketball Association, 1999-.

Life's Work

To many sports fans and writers, Isiah Thomas was the best small man ever to play professional basketball. The six-foot-one-inch Thomas served as a point guard for the Detroit Pistons from 1981 to 1994, earning a spot on the All-Star roster for 12 consecutive years and leading his team to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. Thomas, who joined the Pistons when he was just 19, was a ruthless competitor on the court but dedicated himself to civic causes and social issues in his spare time. The passing of the years eroded Thomas's playing ability and his reputation as a good-natured, accessible superstar, but his competitive drive and dedication to the game of basketball cannot be questioned.

Detroit Free Press columnist Charlie Vincent called Thomas "the spirit and the heart and the soul of a team that wormed its way into our hearts. He came with a smile that made us all think he was a choirboy but showed us, in time, that--on the floor--he could be an assassin." Vincent added that Thomas "showed a generation of Detroit fans how a winner behaves. He has given us memories of glory and of leadership and courage." Thomas retired from basketball on May 11, 1994, following months of speculation about his future and a rumored $55-million retirement package. "This has been a great life for me," Thomas told reporters. "I think I enjoyed myself more than any other player who ever came through the NBA." Thomas was expected to become a color commentator for televised basketball coverage and to devote more time to his extensive business dealings.

"I'm in love with basketball," Thomas once told Sports Illustrated. "It's my release. It's my outlet. If I get mad, I go shoot. It's my freedom. It's my security. It's my drug; it's my high." Thomas's love of the game has at times bordered on obsession. As a rookie Piston point guard in 1981, he set a goal of being part of an NBA championship team. At times, that goal seemed out of reach no matter how hard Thomas played as an individual. Time and maturity seasoned his game, however, and he finally led the Pistons to their first-ever championship in 1989. Sport magazine contributor Johnette Howard wrote: "Like many other superstars--at least the smart ones--Thomas learned long ago that piling up statistics is less intriguing than chasing or craving what he cannot guarantee. Like winning. By that measure, regardless of what anyone else says, he is an unqualified success."

A Family's Last Hope

Isiah Lord Thomas III grew up in the heart of Chicago's West Side ghetto, the youngest of seven boys and two girls born to Mary and Isiah Thomas II. "He was well behaved, but spoiled," Mary Thomas told Sports Illustrated. "I can't say I didn't treat him special. He was the baby. He got special attention." Isiah II was a plant supervisor who pushed his children to read, barred them from watching anything but educational television, and lectured them to stick together and protect one another. When Isiah III was an infant, his father lost his job as a supervisor at International Harvester and could not find comparable work elsewhere. He was forced to work as a janitor at extremely reduced wages, and the stress of his disappointment caused friction in the family. "My father was frustrated by his intelligence," Thomas told Gentleman's Quarterly. "He was a black man coming up in the Twenties, Thirties and Forties. Being very intelligent and not being able to express that intelligence made him a very angry man. Sometimes he took that anger out on our family."

Eventually, Isiah II and Mary Thomas separated, and the childrearing duties fell primarily to Mary. She was a strict disciplinarian who required her children to be home by the time the street lights came on. Born a Baptist, she turned the family toward Catholicism and thus came under the wing of a local church, Our Lady of Sorrows, and its schools. Fearlessly protective of her family, there was little that Mary Thomas would not do to shield her children from the gangs that prowled their neighborhood's streets. Once she chased gang members from her front porch with a shotgun when they came to recruit her sons. Her courage and determination--especially where Isiah III was concerned--were the subject of a 1987 made-for-television movie.

Thomas spent most of his free time playing basketball at tiny Gladys Park, next to Chicago's Eisenhower Expressway. According to Ira Berkow in the New York Times, the young Thomas was a "prodigy in basketball the way Mozart was in music. At age three, Amadeus was composing on a harpsichord; at three, Isiah could dribble and shoot baskets." Thomas was tutored by his older brothers, some of whom were top-notch players in their own right. Thomas recalled those days fondly in Sports Illustrated. "Go anywhere on the West Side and say, 'Meet me at the court,' and they'd know what you were talking about," he said. "That's where I really learned to play. There were some basketball players there. You could always get a game there. Any time of day, any time of night. Me and my brothers used to go over there with snow shovels in the winter so we could play."

When Thomas was 12, the street gangs began moving in more ferociously, and some of his older brothers succumbed to the lure of drug abuse and crime. Mary Thomas moved the family five miles west to Menard Avenue, but trouble seemed to follow. "Those were probably the worst times as a kid," Thomas told Sports Illustrated. "We very rarely had heat. We had an oil furnace but no money to buy oil. In the winter, it was always cold, and you had to sleep all the time with your clothes on. Everything broke down in the house once we bought it. ... I mean everything was a disaster." Sleeping in a closet and eating food donated by concerned church members, Thomas was tempted to follow the lead of his brothers and turn to drug dealing as a way out of poverty. His brothers and his mother convinced him otherwise. They told him that he might well lead the family into better circumstances with his basketball skills.

Most of the coaches in the Chicago area considered Thomas too small to have any significant impact on a basketball program, but Thomas's brothers persuaded coach Gene Pingatore of St. Joseph High School to give Isiah a sports scholarship. St. Joseph was located in a white suburb of Chicago. Thomas had to commute three hours each way to and from school, taking three buses and arriving home well after dark. He struggled to acquire discipline in the classroom and on the court and, by his junior year, he led St. Joseph to a second-place finish in the state high school championship tournament. As a senior, Thomas was one of the most coveted college prospects in the nation.

From College to the Pros

More than 100 colleges recruited Thomas. His family wanted him to stay home and attend DePaul, but he chose to go to Indiana University and play for temperamental coach Bob Knight. Thomas made All-Big Ten his freshman year and was named a consensus All-American as a sophomore. That year he led the Hoosiers to the NCAA championship game, where Indiana routed the North Carolina Tar Heels, 63-50. With 23 points in the championship match, Thomas was named NCAA tournament Most Valuable Player. Despite his All-Star performance as a freshman and sophomore, Thomas was not happy at Indiana. He and Knight clashed frequently. Finally, in 1981--on the advice of his friend Magic Johnson--Thomas decided to leave college and apply for the NBA draft.

Thomas was selected second in the opening round of the 1981 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons, a hopelessly foundering organization that had won only 37 of 164 games the previous two seasons. At the tender age of 19, Thomas became burdened with the chore of rescuing the NBA's worst team. A Detroit News headline hailed him as "Isiah the Savior," and Pistons season ticket sales jumped 50 percent. Even the club brass talked about making the NBA Finals as they announced Thomas's four-year, $1.6 million contract. Undaunted by the expectations, Thomas turned in a successful rookie season, averaging 17 points per game and leading his team in assists and steals. He improved further in his second season, averaging nearly 23 points and 8 assists per game. Both years he represented the Pistons at the All-Star Game.

Through his first four years in Detroit, Thomas consistently outplayed his teammates. He was the first player in league history to be voted to the All-Star team in his first five seasons, and in 1984 and 1986 his performances in the All-Star game were so spectacular that he was named the contest's Most Valuable Player. By 1984 he had managed to guide the Pistons to their first winning record in seven seasons, and he was given a new ten-year, $12 million contract that was specifically designed to keep him in Detroit for his entire career. He responded to this vote of confidence in the 1984-85 season by compiling an NBA-record 1,123 assists, an average of 13.1 per game.

Not only did Thomas shine on the court, he also earned the affection of basketball fans everywhere--and especially in Detroit--for his well-publicized anti-crime work, his open dedication to his family, and his accessibility to the media. Howard noted of Thomas: "Half the beat reporters in the NBA had his home phone number, and it wasn't uncommon for him to sit for an hour after a practice, talking about some societal issue such as racism or his latest take on the game." Perhaps inevitably, however, pressures began to mount on the affable superstar as the Detroit Pistons became a legitimate playoff contender in 1986. A turning point in the evolution of Isiah Thomas occurred during the 1987 Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics.

Fame Brings Its Own Problems

Under new head coach Chuck Daly, the Detroit Pistons improved enough to challenge for the 1987 NBA championship. That year, Thomas averaged almost 20 points per game in the playoffs as the Pistons advanced to an Eastern Conference showdown with the Celtics. The winner of the best-of-seven series would advance to the NBA playoffs--something the Pistons had never done. The series was hard-fought and seethed with emotion. By Game Five each team had won twice, and as Game Five drew to a close, the Pistons clung to a one-point lead and had possession of the ball. With one second left to play, Thomas in-bounded the ball. His pass was stolen by Larry Bird of the Celtics. Bird lobbed the ball to teammate Dennis Johnson, who scored the winning basket as the buzzer sounded. The dramatic loss stunned the Pistons, who went on to lose the series in seven games.

Just after Detroit's loss to the Celtics, another Piston, rookie Dennis Rodman, told reporters that Larry Bird was "overrated" because he was white. Asked to comment on his teammate's statement, Thomas responded that while Bird was a "very, very good basketball player," if he were black he would be "just another good guy." The backlash among media and fans was immediate. Even though Thomas apologized to Bird at a press conference--and clarified his remarks by explaining that he felt an inherent racial bias existed in basketball--his reputation was severely damaged. Howard wrote in 1992 that in the wake of that controversy, "neither [Thomas] nor his image has ever been the same." Howard added: "Looking back on it now, Thomas' greatest sin might've been that his thinking and candor put him ahead of his time."

Thomas's honeymoon with the media ended just as the Pistons achieved their greatest success. Beginning in 1987, the Pistons adopted surly tactics both on- and off-court that led to their being nicknamed the "Bad Boys." With Thomas as team captain, the "Bad Boys" turned in a strong 1987-88 season and capped the year with an Eastern Conference Finals victory over the Celtics and a bruising, seven-game championship run versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Playing with a jammed finger, a bruised eye, facial cuts, and a badly sprained ankle, Thomas threatened to steal the series for the Pistons, especially in Game Six, when he scored 43 points and 8 assists. Los Angeles won the championship in seven games, but the Pistons--and Thomas--had finally shed their losing image. The next two seasons would belong to Detroit.

Back-to-Back Titles

With Isiah Thomas at the height of his ability, the Pistons won the NBA championship in 1989 and again in 1990. These championship teams were often embroiled in controversy, both for their aggressive style of play and for their combative attitudes off-court. Rolling Stone contributor Jeff Coplon wrote that the "Bad Boys" were perceived nationwide as "goons, thugs, terrorists. ... When they took the court, a hockey game broke out. Normally placid opponents. . . blew up bumps into scuffles, scuffles into brawls. In the cultish NBA, if the Celtics were white America's team, and the Lakers were Club Hollywood, the Pistons belonged to Qaddafi. ... Piston-bashing was suddenly a blood sport--especially among those most threatened by Detroit's rise." In 1988-89 Detroit compiled the best regular-season record in the NBA, winning 65 of 82 games. A six-game Eastern Conference Finals victory against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls set the stage for another showdown with the Lakers. This time, the Pistons swept Los Angeles in four games and returned to Detroit with the championship.

Even greater triumph awaited Thomas the following year as Detroit's "Bad Boys" advanced again to the championship series, this time against the Portland Trail Blazers. In a series remembered for its physical play, the Pistons won in just five games to clinch back-to-back championship victories. Sports Illustrated correspondent Jack McCallum credited the strong Detroit showing to Thomas. The Piston captain, wrote McCallum, "kept the tempo at a controlled, even pace, which disrupted the fast-breaking. . .Trail Blazers. And when he wasn't doing that, he was creating something from nothing, with long-distance jump shots, body-twisting drives and steals in the open floor. ... By the time the Pistons had beaten the Blazers. . . to clinch their second straight championship. . . there was only one great guard still playing basketball--Isiah Lord Thomas III."

Thomas was named Most Valuable Player of the 1990 championship series. Returning home to celebrate with his wife, he discovered that he was the target of media scrutiny for alleged gambling improprieties. Although no formal charges were brought against him, the negative publicity only alienated him further from the media and fans he had once courted so gallantly. As regular season play began in the 1990s, Thomas's statistics fell off somewhat, and he began spending more time alone with his family. He was sidelined in the 1991-92 season after receiving a blow to the head in a game against the Utah Jazz. Also, Thomas was probably the best-known NBA player who was not selected for the celebrated 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball team, allegedly because of pressure from reigning basketball superstar Michael Jordan, with whom Thomas had long feuded. That omission was particularly difficult for Thomas, because he had been a member of a 1980 Olympic basketball team that was forced to boycott the Olympics by President Carter.

Through these and other controversies, Thomas remained the Pistons' team captain. He also served a four-year stint as the president of the NBA Players Association. As he ended his eleventh season in the NBA, Thomas reflected on his career in Sport magazine: "You gotta understand," he said. "I'm 6-1. If I was 6-9, I could be 'nice.' If I was 6-9, or 6-6 and could jump out of the building, I could be nice. But being 6-1, having to try to be successful in a league where everyone else is 6-7, 6-8, 6-9, you've got to have a little fire in your gut, or you'll be like every other 6-1 guy is supposed to be in the league--average. I didn't want to be average. ... You have to do what you have to do. And I had no problems doing that."

Retired in Style

As a team, the Pistons' fortunes ebbed as those of the Chicago Bulls rose. The Pistons were defeated by the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1991, crushing their hopes for a third straight NBA title and prompting calls for "rebuilding." In December of 1993, rumors suggested that Thomas was about to leave the Pistons for the New York Knicks. Instead, on January 7, 1994, the Pistons called a press conference to announce that Thomas had signed a long-term contract that would take him past retirement. "This is one of the happiest days of my career, and one of the happiest days of my life," Thomas told the Detroit Free Press when the agreement was announced. Soon after the contract was signed, more rumors circulated that Thomas would retire at the end of the season.

On April 19, 1994, Isiah Thomas played his last game as a Detroit Piston, although his retirement would not become official until May 11. Thomas left his final game in the third quarter with a torn Achilles tendon, after scoring 12 points and serving up 6 assists against the Orlando Magic. Reflecting on his years in the NBA, Thomas told Vincent, "I have no regrets. As a basketball player, you gave everything to your sport, gave everything to the organization and to the team you played for. You leave it all out on the floor. So it's not disappointing to me at all." Following his retirement party, Thomas ended rumors about his taking a front-office position with the Pistons franchise, telling reporters, "All the jobs were full."

Thomas met many of the goals he set for himself as a rookie in the NBA--and exceeded even his own sky-high expectations. The leader in every category in the history of the Pistons' franchise, Thomas also left the game as the fourth all-time NBA leader in assists and steals, and the 28th all-time leader in scoring. Thomas retired with 18,822 career points, 9,061 assists, and 1,861 steals in 979 games. Thomas told Jet magazine: "I'm living the dream I had since I was a little boy. How many kids, especially kids who grew up as poor as I did, ever live to see their dreams come true? I'm just lucky I've had the opportunity."

Following his retirement from the NBA, Thomas turned his attention to becoming a successful businessman and entrepreneur. Along with his business partners, he purchased American Speedy Printing Centers, Inc. With Thomas serving as principal shareholder and co-chairman of the board of directors, American Speedy Printing Centers emerged from bankruptcy to become a highly profitable company. In 1994 he became a principal investor in OmniBanc Corp, the nation's first multistate African American owned bank holding company. The goal of OmniBanc was to revitalize economically disadvantaged inner cities communities. As Thomas remarked in American Banker, "Anytime you have the chance to revitalize the community that you came from. . .it's a very exciting challenge and a very exciting opportunity."

Moved to Toronto

On May 24, 1994, Thomas was introduced as the head of basketball operations for the expansion Toronto Raptors, the first NBA franchise located outside the United States. As part of his duties, he was charged with helping to shape the team, which debuted during the 1995-96 season. At a press conference in Toronto at the time of his announcement, Thomas remarked, "I think it's the dream of most professional athletes. . .to make this kind of cross-over once the playing days are over. ...I'm so excited to get on with the job at hand."

In late 1997, Thomas abruptly resigned as general manager of the Toronto Raptors and left town. Rumors circulated that Thomas's relationship with Raptors majority owner Allan Slaight had soured after Thomas failed to purchase sole ownership of the team. Although Thomas owned a nine percent share of the Raptors, he wanted complete control of the organization. His sudden departure dealt a severe blow to the team's morale. As Raptors forward Walt Williams told Maclean's, "Isiah is a big part of why a lot of the guys are here."

Shortly after leaving the Raptors, Thomas signed a deal with NBC in December of 1997 to become an analyst for NBA games. With experience as both a player and NBA executive, NBC felt that Thomas would bring an interesting perspective to the job. Although Thomas was excited about the new opportunity, he had almost no experience as a broadcaster and realized that he had much to learn. As quoted by Jet magazine, Thomas remarked, "I understand that I come into this as a rookie, that I'm very young and very green. I don't come into this professing to be the top guy, but as a young guy with a lot of talent."

Became Owner of the CBA

Thomas had long professed a desire to purchase his own NBA franchise. That goal had gone unfulfilled. However, in 1999, Thomas purchased the nine-team Continental Basketball Association (CBA). Suddenly, he was the sole owner of nine franchises scattered across the United States. Thomas voiced his plans for the CBA in Black Enterprise, "My goal is to one day form an official affiliation with the NBA where each team will have its own CBA team and you can call up or send down players, similar to what they have in baseball." He also planned to expand the CBA and increase its visibility through increased promotion and marketing. "Our goal is to continue to grow the league through acquisitions and mergers. We've looked at some cities. . .and there's considerable interest in smaller cities wanting to have the second-best league in the world playing in their towns."

In May of 2000, Thomas was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. This distinction placed him alongside other Detroit sports legends such as Al Kaline, Ty Cobb, and Gordie Howe. At a press conference held at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the same arena where Thomas led the Pistons to championship glory, his trademark competitiveness shone through. As reported in the Detroit Free Press, Thomas remarked, "I kid Magic and Jordan all the time that if I was taller, they never would've gotten the championship from me. If I had been 6-5 or 6-6, I would have killed all of those guys all of the time." The press conference also featured a five minute video highlighting some of Thomas's greatest moments on a basketball court. After watching the video, Thomas quipped in the Detroit Free Press, "I look at that video and I think to myself, 'Man, I was good.'"

Awards

Selected Awards:Named to NBA All-Star Team, 1982-92; named All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, 1984 and 1986; Elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame, 2000.

Further Reading

• American Banker, October 20, 1994, p. 6.
• Black Enterprise, November, 1999, p. 28.
• Boston Globe, November 1, 1981; April 26, 1985; June 7, 1987.
• Chicago Tribune, February 8, 1987.
• Detroit Free Press, April 25, 1987; April 28, 1987; January 4, 1994, p. D1; January 8, 1994, p. B3; April 20, 1994, pp. 1E, 6E; May 12, 1994, pp. 1A, 6A, 1C, 8C-10C; May 25, 2000, p. 1A.
• Detroit News, October 11, 1981.
• Dollars & Sense, May 1994, pp. 21-22.
• Ebony, May 1990.
• Gentleman's Quarterly, February 1988, pp. 190-193, 238-242.
• Inside Sports, April 1984, p. 64; November 1987, p. 21; June 1994, pp. 38-39.
• Jet, December 11, 1989, pp. 36-38; October 22, 1990, p. 48; October 14, 1991, p. 49; January 31, 1994, p. 48.
• Los Angeles Daily News, June 19, 1988.
• Los Angeles Herald Examiner, June 6, 1987.
• Los Angeles Times, February 10, 1986; June 7, 1988; June 11, 1988; June 20, 1988.
• Maclean's, December 1, 1997.
• Newsday, June 2, 1987; May 30, 1988.
• Newsweek, December 14, 1981, p. 130.
• New York Times, April 27, 1981; June 2, 1987; January 8, 1994, p. 32; January 9, 1994, sec. 8, p. 5.
• Oakland Press (Michigan), April 3, 1994; April 4, 1994, p. D1; April 18, 1994, p. B1; April 24, 1994, pp. D1-D2, D13-D14.
• Philadelphia Daily News, June 15, 1988.
• Philadelphia Inquirer, June 7, 1988.
• Rolling Stone, May 4, 1989.
• Sport, February 1986, p. 59; May 1988, p. 24; June 1992, pp. 66-70.
• Sports Illustrated, January 19, 1987; May 18, 1987; June 25, 1990, pp. 32-36; January 21, 1991, p. 46; January 17, 1994, p. 71.

— Mark Kram and David G. Oblender

For more information on Isiah Lord III Thomas, visit Britannica.com.

Quotes:

"I've always believed no matter how many shots I miss, I'm going to make the next one."

"If all I'm remembered for is being a good basketball player, then I've done a bad job with the rest of my life."

This article is about the retired professional basketball player. For the revolutionary-era figure, see Isaiah Thomas. For the American boxer, see Isiah Thomas (boxer). For the current college basketball player, see Isaiah Thomas (basketball).

Isiah Thomas
Title	Head coach
College	FIU
Sport	Basketball
Conference	Sun Belt
Team record	0-0
Born	April 30, 1961 (1961-04-30) (age 48)
Career highlights
Overall	0-0
Playing career
1981-1994	Detroit Pistons
Position	Point guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2009-current 2006-2008 2000-2003	FIU New York Knicks Indiana Pacers

Isiah Thomas
Position(s): Point guard	Jersey #(s): 11
Born: April 30, 1961 (1961-04-30) (age 48)
Career information
Year(s): 1981–1994
NBA Draft: 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2
College: Indiana University
Professional team(s)
Detroit Pistons (1981–1994)
Career stats
Points	18,822 (19.2 ppg)
Assists	9,061 (9.3 apg)
Steals	1,861 (1.9 spg)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Career highlights and awards
NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player (1981) NBA All-Rookie Team (1982) 12× NBA All-Star (1982-93) 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1984, 1986) 3× All-NBA First Team (1984-86) 2× All-NBA Second Team (1983, 1987) 2× NBA Champion (1989, 1990) NBA Finals MVP (1990) U.S. Olympian (1980) J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (1987) NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996) Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2000)
Basketball Hall of Fame

Isiah Lord Thomas III (nicknamed "Zeke"^[1]) (/aɪˈzeɪə/; born April 30, 1961) is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA Championship in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons. After his playing career, he was an executive with the Toronto Raptors, a television commentator, an executive with the Continental Basketball Association, head coach of the Indiana Pacers, and an executive and head coach for the New York Knicks. During the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Contents 1 Early life and college career 2 NBA playing career 3 International career 4 Post-NBA career 4.1 Toronto Raptors 4.2 Broadcasting 4.3 CBA 4.4 Indiana Pacers 4.5 Hall of Fame 4.6 New York Knicks 4.7 Florida International University 5 Controversy 5.1 Michael Jordan rivalry 5.2 Sexual harassment lawsuit 5.3 Racism allegations 5.4 Drug overdose 6 Career NBA statistics 7 Coaching record 8 References 9 External links

Early life and college career

Isiah Thomas was born on April 30, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois. The youngest of nine brothers and sisters, he commuted from the North Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago to play high school basketball at St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois for Gene Pingatore.^[2] He would wake up at 5 am and commute 90 minutes to attend the private school.^[2] He played for Bob Knight's Hoosiers at Indiana University. In 1981, Thomas led the Hoosiers to the NCAA Tournament National Championship and earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. After accomplishing this in his sophomore season, Thomas made himself eligible for the NBA Draft.

NBA playing career

In the 1981 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons chose Thomas and signed him to a four-year $1.6 million contract. Thomas made the All-Rookie team and started for the Eastern Conference in the 1982 All-Star Game.

In the opening round of the 1984 NBA Playoffs, Thomas and the Pistons faced off against Bernard King and the New York Knicks. In the pivotal fifth game, Thomas was having a subpar performance, while Bernard King was having an excellent game. However, Thomas scored 16 points in the last 94 seconds to force the game into overtime. King and the Knicks, however, held on to win in overtime.

In the 1985 NBA Playoffs, Thomas and his team went to the conference semi-finals against the 15-time NBA champion Boston Celtics led by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson. Detroit couldn't shake the Celtics in their six-game series, eventually losing.

In the 1987 NBA Playoffs, Thomas and the Pistons went to the Eastern Conference Finals and faced the Boston Celtics. It was the farthest the team had advanced since moving from Fort Wayne when they were the Zollner-Pistons. The Pistons were able to tie the Celtics at two games apiece. Detroit's hope of winning Game 5 was dashed at the Boston Garden with seconds remaining in a play by Larry Bird: Thomas attempted to quickly inbound the ball, Larry Bird stole the inbound pass and passed it to Dennis Johnson for the game-winning layup.

In 1988 the Pistons' first trip to the Finals saw them face the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Prior to the series, Thomas and Johnson would exchange a courtside kiss on the cheek prior to tip-off as a sign of their deep friendship. After taking a 3-2 series lead back to Los Angeles, Detroit appeared poised to win their first NBA title in Game 6.

One of Thomas' most inspiring and self-defining moments came in Game 6. Although he had severely sprained his ankle late in the game, Thomas continued to play. While hobbling and in obvious pain, Isiah scored 25 points in a single quarter of the contest, an NBA finals record. However, the Lakers won the game 103-102 on a pair of last-minute free throws by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar following a foul called on Bill Laimbeer. With Isiah Thomas unable to compete at full strength the Lakers were able to take advantage and narrowly clinched their second consecutive title in Game 7, 108-105.

In the 1988-89 season, Thomas, along with fellow teammates Adrian Dantley, Joe Dumars, Rick Mahorn, Vinnie Johnson, Dennis Rodman, James Edwards, John Salley, Bill Laimbeer, and Mark Aguirre, guided his team to a then-franchise record 63-19 record. Detroit played a brash and dominating brand of basketball through the playoffs that led to their nickname "Bad Boys". With Boston's injuries persisting, the Pistons defeated Michael Jordan and the up and coming Chicago Bulls in the Conference Finals, to set up an NBA Finals rematch with the Lakers. Thomas and the Pistons then won their first of back-to-back championships when they defeated the Lakers in a 4-game sweep. The following year, Thomas was voted NBA Finals Most Valuable Player of the 1990 NBA Finals after averaging 27.6 points per game, 7.0 assists per game, and 5.2 rebounds per game in the series with Clyde Drexler's Portland Trail Blazers. The Pistons continued to play well between 1991 and 1993 but were not able to return to the NBA Finals as they were eclipsed by the growing Chicago Bulls dynasty. An aging and ailing Thomas tore his Achilles' tendon in April 1994 and decided to end his career as a player the following month in May.

Thomas, a 6-1, 185-pound point guard, ranks as one of the best players of all-time. His toughness and competitive fire won many admirers as well as adversaries over the years. He was named to the All-NBA First team three times and is the Pistons' all-time leader in points, steals, games played and assists. Thomas ranks fifth in NBA history in assists (9,061, 9.3 apg) and ranks ninth in NBA history in steals (1,861). Thomas was known for his dribbling ability as well as his ability to drive to the basket and score. His number 11 was retired by the Detroit Pistons.

International career

Thomas was selected to the 1980 Olympic team, but like all American athletes he was not able to play in Moscow due to the Olympics boycott. The boycotting countries instead participated in the gold medal series, a series of games against NBA teams, a French team and the 1976 Olympic gold medal team in various U.S. cities, recording a 5-1 record (losing to the Seattle SuperSonics). Isiah shot 22-55 from the field and 14-17 from the line. He led the U.S. in assists with 37 (the next highest total on the team was 17) and averaged 9.7 points per game.^[3]

Despite his talent, Thomas was left off the original Olympic Dream Team, possibly as a result of his alleged feud with Michael Jordan.^[4] After Tim Hardaway left the team due to injury he was named to Dream Team II for the 1994 World Championship of Basketball, but did not play due to his Achilles tendon injury that caused his retirement.^[4] He was replaced by Kevin Johnson.

Post-NBA career

Toronto Raptors

After retiring Thomas became part owner and Executive Vice President for the expansion Toronto Raptors in 1994. In 1998, he left the organization after a dispute with new management over the franchise's direction and his future responsibilities. During his four-year tenure with the team, the Raptors drafted Damon Stoudamire, Marcus Camby, and high-schooler Tracy McGrady.

Broadcasting

After leaving the Raptors, Thomas became a television commentator (first as the lead game analyst with play-by-play man Bob Costas and then as part of the studio team) for NBA on NBC. Thomas also worked a three-man booth with Costas and Doug Collins.

CBA

Thomas became the owner of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1998 to 2000. After his purchase of the CBA for $5 million, the league was forced into bankruptcy and folded, after Thomas rejected an offer from the NBA for $11 million to make it an official minor league of the NBA.^[5] Many CBA managers blamed Thomas for the league's failure, citing mismanagement and out-of-control spending on his part. Many such managers publicly declared that Thomas ran the league into the ground, possibly on purpose to eliminate the non-NBA-owned minor league in order to make room for the NBA-owned NBDL.

Indiana Pacers

From 2000 to 2003, Thomas coached the Indiana Pacers, succeeding Larry Bird, who previously coached the Pacers to the NBA Eastern Conference title. Thomas attempted to bring up young talents such as Jermaine O'Neal, Jamaal Tinsley, Al Harrington, and Jeff Foster. However, under Thomas the Pacers were not able to stay at the elite level as they went through the transition from a veteran-dominated, playoff-experienced team to a younger, more inexperienced team. In Thomas's first two seasons with the Pacers, the team was eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets, both of whom eventually made the NBA Finals.

In his last year with the Pacers, Thomas guided the Pacers to a 48-34 record in the regular season and coached the Eastern Conference team at the 2003 NBA All-Star Game.As the third seed, the Pacers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the sixth-seeded Boston Celtics. With blossoming talents such as Brad Miller, Ron Artest, Al Harrington and Jamaal Tinsley, along with the veteran leadership of Reggie Miller, the perception existed that the Pacers' unfulfilled potential stemmed from Isiah Thomas' inexperience as a coach. In the off-season, Larry Bird returned to the Pacers as President of Basketball Operations, and his first act was to replace Thomas with Rick Carlisle.

Hall of Fame

In 2000, Thomas was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame, in his initial year of eligibility.

New York Knicks

On December 22, 2003, the New York Knicks hired Thomas as President of Basketball Operations. Thomas was ultimately unsuccessful with the Knicks roster and fanbase. At the end of the 2005-06 season, the Knicks had the highest payroll in the league and the second-worst record. He traded away several future draft picks to Chicago in a deal for Eddy Curry including what turned out to be two lottery picks in talent-rich drafts.

A press conference for Isiah Thomas at the U.S. Century Bank Arena at Florida International University in Miami.

On June 22, 2006, the Knicks fired coach Larry Brown, and owner James Dolan replaced him with Thomas under the condition that he show "evident progress" or be fired.

During the following season the Knicks became embroiled in a brawl with the Denver Nuggets, which Thomas allegedly instigated by ordering his players to commit a hard foul in the paint.^[6] However, he was not fined or suspended. NBA Commissioner David Stern said that he only relied on "definitive information" when handing out punishments.^[7] Later in the season, nine months after James Dolan demanded "evident progress", the Knicks re-signed Thomas to an undisclosed "multi-year" contract.^[8] After Thomas was granted the extension, the Knicks abruptly fell from playoff contention with a dismal finish to the season.

During the 2007 Draft, Thomas made another trade by acquiring Zach Randolph, Fred Jones, and Dan Dickau from the Portland Trail Blazers for Steve Francis and Channing Frye.

Thomas also compounded the Knicks' salary cap problems by signing fringe players such as Jerome James and Jared Jeffries to full mid-level exception contracts. Neither player has seen any significant playing time and both are often injured and when able to play are highly ineffective.

Despite the constant criticism that he received from Knicks fans, Thomas maintained that he had no intention of leaving until he turned the team around and he predicted that he would lead the Knicks to a championship, stating that his goal was to leave behind a "championship legacy" with the Knicks, just as he had done for the Detroit Pistons. This prediction was met with widespread skepticism.^[9]

On April 2, 2008, Donnie Walsh was introduced to replace Thomas as President of Basketball Operations for the Knicks. Walsh would not comment definitively on whether or not Thomas would be retained in any capacity at the time of his hiring.

One night after the Knicks tied a franchise record of 59 losses and ended their season, news broke that in talks with Walsh the week before, Isiah had been told he would not return as Knicks head coach the following season. He was officially 'reassigned' on April 18 "after a season of listless and dreadful basketball, a tawdry lawsuit and unending chants from fans demanding his dismissal."^[10] As part of the reassignment agreement Thomas was banned from having contact with any Knicks' players under the rationale that he could willingly or unwillingly undermine Donnie Walsh and the new head coach.^[11]

Florida International University

On April 14, 2009, Thomas accepted an offer to become the head basketball coach of Florida International University, replacing Sergio Rouco after 5 losing seasons.^[12] Thomas announced that he would donate his first year's salary back to the school.^[12] Thomas was quoted as saying, "I did not come here for the money."^[12]

Controversy

This section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (September 2007)

Michael Jordan rivalry

In the 1985 NBA All-Star Game, Thomas was joined on the Eastern Conference squad by star rookie Michael Jordan. Jordan wound up attempting nine shots, a relatively low number for a starting player. Afterward, Thomas and his fellow veteran East players were accused of having planned to "freeze out" Jordan from their offense by not passing him the ball, supposedly out of jealousy over the attention Jordan was receiving. No player involved has ever confirmed that the "freeze-out" occurred, but the story has been long reported, and has never been refuted by Jordan.^[13] Thomas has ridiculed the idea of him being the mastermind behind a supposed "freeze-out" as being "ludicrous" citing that he was a relatively young player on a team including Larry Bird, Julius Erving and Moses Malone.^[14]

In the Eastern Conference Finals of the 1991 NBA Playoffs, the two-time defending champion Detroit Pistons faced the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls for the fourth consecutive season in the playoffs. The Pistons had defeated the Bulls in each of the first three meetings, but this time they suffered a four-game sweep at the hands of Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls. The series was marked by a number of verbal, physical, and match-up problems. With 7.9 seconds remaining in the fourth game, Thomas and eight of his teammates walked off the court, refusing to shake hands with the members of the Bulls.

In 1992 Thomas was passed over by the United States men's national basketball team (popularly known as the Dream Team). Rumors have swirled that Thomas was left off the team because Jordan did not want him as a teammate on account of their bitter rivalry, which had begun with the alleged "freeze-out" and had continued through their playoff battles.

Sexual harassment lawsuit

In October 2006, Thomas and Madison Square Garden were sued for sexual harassment by Anucha Browne Sanders. The matter came to trial in September 2007 and Thomas was determined to have made demeaning statements to Sanders, as well as making sexual advances and repeatedly telling her that he was in love with her.^[15] Madison Square Garden was ordered to pay Browne Sanders $11.6 million, one of the largest sexual harassment judgments in history.

"I'm innocent, I'm very innocent, and I did not do the things she has accused me in this courtroom of doing," Thomas said after the decision. "I'm extremely disappointed that the jury did not see the facts in this case." Thomas admitted under oath that he did in fact call Sanders a "bitch". During his testimony, Thomas also claimed it was appropriate to exchange hugs and kisses with co-workers.

Racism allegations

During Thomas's sexual harassment trial, Anucha Browne-Sanders testified that Thomas had told her he did not care about these "____ing white people" or these "____ing season ticket holders." Thomas denied these allegations.^[16]

After a heated 1987 playoff game against the Boston Celtics, Dennis Rodman said that Larry Bird was overrated because he was white in a league full of mostly black players. In response, Isiah said, "I think Larry is a very, very good basketball player. He's an exceptional talent, but I have to agree with Rodman. If he were black, he'd be just another good guy."^[17]

Drug overdose

On October 24, 2008, Thomas was taken to White Plains Hospital Center near his New York City area home after taking an overdose of Lunesta, a form of sleep medication.^[18] According to Harrison, New York police, they were called to Thomas's house, where, finding him unconscious but breathing, they had him transported to the hospital. Police Chief David Hall stated that they "are calling this an accidental overdose of a prescription sleeping pill.” He was released from the hospital later that day.^[19]

In the opinion of Harrison Police Chief David Hall, Thomas tried to "cover up" the incident by claiming his 17-year old daughter required medical treatment when in actuality he was the patient. Referring to Thomas' 17-year-old daughter, Hall said, "And why they're throwing her under the bus is beyond my ability to understand."^[20]

According to Thomas, in an interview with ESPN, his daughter was earlier in the day, taken to the hospital, and then so was he after he accidentally overdosed on sleeping pills. Thomas also denied that it was a suicide attempt, and explained that he was so quiet about his hospitalization because he was focused on his daughter and family at the time.^[21]

Career NBA statistics

^[22]

• Games played: 979
• Games started: 971
• Minutes per game: 36.3
• Points scored: 18,822
• Assists: 9,061
• Rebounds: 3,478
• Steals: 1,861
• Points per game: 19.2
• Assists per game: 9.3
• Rebounds per game: 3.6
• Steals per game: 1.9
• Field goal percentage: .452
• Free throw percentage: .759
• Three-point percentage: .290

Coaching record

Team	Year	Regular Season
		G	W	L	PCT	Finish	Result
IND	2000-01	82	41	41	.500	4th in Central	Lost in First Round
IND	2001-02	82	42	40	.512	4th in Central	Lost in First Round
IND	2002-03	82	48	34	.585	2nd in Central	Lost in First Round
NYK	2006-07	82	33	49	.402	4th in Atlantic	Missed Playoffs
NYK	2007-08	82	23	59	.280	5th in Atlantic	Missed Playoffs
	Career	410	187	223	.456

References

1. ^ "That Was Then ... This is Now: Zeke and Franchise". NBA,com. http://www.nba.com/allstar2003/then_now_thomas_francis.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-27. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Metcalf, Stephen (2006-06-29). "The Devil Wears Nikes; Liking Isiah Thomas against my better judgment". Slate.com. http://www.slate.com/id/2144509. Retrieved on 2008-11-02. 
3. ^ "Games of the XXIInd Olympiad -- 1980". usabasketball.com. http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=moly_1980. Retrieved on 2008-09-27. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Sports People: Basketball; Thomas Is Named To Dream Team II". New York Times. 1994-01-11. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507EFD71531F932A25752C0A962958260. Retrieved on 2008-08-24. 
5. ^ CBA Museum, Isiah Thomas Years
6. ^ "Melo apologizes; Isiah reportedly under investigation", ESPN.com, 2006-12-20. Accessed 2007-10-03. "Though Thomas acknowledged telling Anthony not to go into the paint, he said Monday he meant it not as a threat but as a lecture on sportsmanship."
7. ^ "Suspensions total 47 games from Knicks-Nuggets fight", Espn.com, 2006-12-20. Accessed 2007-10-03
8. ^ "Thomas shows 'evident progress'; earns new deal", Espn.com, 2007-03-07. Accessed 2007-10-03.
9. ^ Isiah Thomas predicts a title
10. ^ Isiah Thomas fired as coach of New York. He was fired on april 18, 2008 Knicks, Associated Press, April 18, 2008.
11. ^ ESPN - Report: Ex-Knicks coach Thomas banned from contacting players - NBA
12. ^ ^{a b c} "Florida International Hires Isiah to be Head Coach". CBS. 2009-04-14. http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11629553. Retrieved on 2009-05-05. 
13. ^ Wolff, Alexander."Look of a Winner", Sports Illustrated, accessed October 3, 2007."There was the famous freeze-out at the '85 All-Star Game, at which Isiah Thomas led a movement of several veterans to keep the ball out of the hands of their uppity rookie teammate."
14. ^ Albom, Mitch. "Why is Isiah leaving Detroit - Part 2", Detroit Free Press, accessed 2008-04-30."I don't know how something like that gets started... what you're telling me is that I came in the locker room that had Larry Bird, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Michael Ray Richardson and whoever else was on that team, and I said, 'Hey, Bird, hey, Doc' -- and I'm a young guy myself -- 'hey, let's not give Jordan the ball.' Do you know how stupid that sounds? Do you know how ludicrous that sounds?"
15. ^ "Isiah Thomas, Madison Square Garden Settle Sexual Harassment Suit". FOX via The Associated Press. 2007-12-10. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316381,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-27. 
16. ^ Destefano, Anthony M. (2007-12-19). "Plaintiff: Isiah Thomas cursed white fans". Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/ny-nymsg0912,0,6439863.story. Retrieved on 2008-09-27. 
17. ^ Levin, Josh (2005-12-12). "Follow That Bird; Why does every white basketball player get compared to Larry Legend?". Slate. http://www.slate.com/id/2132097/. Retrieved on 2008-09-27. 
18. ^ Lelinwalla, Mark; Schapiro, Rich (2008-10-24), "Police respond to report of drug overdose at Isiah Thomas' home", Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/10/24/2008-10-24_police_respond_to_report_of_drug_overdos.html, retrieved on 2008-10-25 
19. ^ Beck, Howard; Schmidt, Michael (2008-10-25), "Overdose of Pills Puts Isiah Thomas in Hospital", The New York Times: D1, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/sports/basketball/25thomas.html 
20. ^ Police chief rebukes Thomas for involving daughter, 2008-10-25, http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hInuCb0TZ5tzZIztwN_DSQOzutYgD941NPU01 
21. ^ ESPN Sportscenter interview, April 15 2009
22. ^ "Isiah Thomas Career Stats". NBA Encyclopedia. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. http://www.nba.com/history/players/thomas_stats.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-04. 

External links

• nba.com historical playerfile
• Isiah Thomas Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com
• Isiah Thomas Player Profile (InterBasket)
• Hoopedia bio
• Isiah Thomas Career Stats
• Isiah Thomas Historical Profile on NBA.com
• Quotes by Isiah Thomas

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Darrell Griffith	NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player (men's) 1981	Succeeded by James Worthy
Sporting positions
Preceded by Alex English	President of the NBA Players Association October 5, 1988-February 13, 1994	Succeeded by Buck Williams
Preceded by Position Created	Toronto Raptors General Manager 1995–1998	Succeeded by Glen Grunwald
Preceded by Larry Bird	Indiana Pacers head coach 2000–2003	Succeeded by Rick Carlisle
Preceded by Scott Layden	New York Knicks Team President 2003–2008	Succeeded by Donnie Walsh
Preceded by Larry Brown	New York Knicks Head Coach 2006–2008	Succeeded by Mike D'Antoni
Preceded by Sergio Rouco	FIU Men's Basketball Coach 2009-present	Most recent

v • d • e FIU Golden Panthers head basketball coaches Walker • Weltlich • Rodriguez • Marsh • Rouco • Thomas

v • d • e Current head men's basketball coaches of the Sun Belt Conference John Brady (Arkansas State) · Steve Shields (Arkansas-Little Rock) · Joe Scott (Denver) · Mike Jarvis (Florida Atlantic) · Isiah Thomas (Florida International) · Robert Lee (Louisiana-Lafayette) · Orlando Early (Louisiana-Monroe) · Kermit Davis (Middle Tennessee) · Joe Pasternack (New Orleans) · Johnny Jones (North Texas) · Ronnie Arrow (South Alabama) · Don Maestri (Troy) · Ken McDonald (Western Kentucky)

v • d • e National Basketball Association's 50 Greatest Players in NBA History Kareem Abdul-Jabbar • Nate Archibald • Paul Arizin • Charles Barkley • Rick Barry • Elgin Baylor • Dave Bing • Larry Bird • Wilt Chamberlain • Bob Cousy • Dave Cowens • Billy Cunningham • Dave DeBusschere • Clyde Drexler • Julius Erving • Patrick Ewing • Walt Frazier • George Gervin • Hal Greer • John Havlicek • Elvin Hayes • Magic Johnson • Sam Jones • Michael Jordan • Jerry Lucas • Karl Malone • Moses Malone • Pete Maravich • Kevin McHale • George Mikan • Earl Monroe • Hakeem Olajuwon • Shaquille O'Neal • Robert Parish • Bob Pettit • Scottie Pippen • Willis Reed • Oscar Robertson • David Robinson • Bill Russell • Dolph Schayes • Bill Sharman • John Stockton • Isiah Thomas • Nate Thurmond • Wes Unseld • Bill Walton • Jerry West • Lenny Wilkens • James Worthy

v • d • e Indiana Hoosiers Basketball 1980-1981 NCAA Champions Tony Brown | Ted Kitchel | Steve Risley | Isiah Thomas | Jim Thomas | Ray Tolbert | Landon Turner | Randy Wittman Coach Bob Knight

v • d • e 1981 NBA Draft First Round Mark Aguirre · Isiah Thomas · Buck Williams · Al Wood · Danny Vranes · Orlando Woolridge · Steve Johnson · Tom Chambers · Rolando Blackman · Albert King · Frank Johnson · Kelly Tripucka · Danny Schayes · Herb Williams · Jeff Lamp · Darnell Valentine · Kevin Loder · Ray Tolbert · Mike McGee · Larry Nance · Alton Lister · Franklin Edwards · Charles Bradley Second Round Jay Vincent · Tracy Jackson · Brian Jackson · Howard Wood · Gene Banks · Eddie Johnson · Ed Rains · Danny Ainge · Mike Olliver · Sam Williams · Kenneth Green · Charles Davis · Ray Blume · Al Leslie · Clyde Bradshaw · Harvey Knuckles · Greg Cook · Claude Gregory · Elvis Rolle · Elston Turner · Steve Lingenfelter · Ed Turner · Vernon Smith

v • d • e Detroit Pistons Formerly the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons and the Fort Wayne Pistons • Founded in 1941 • Based in Auburn Hills, Michigan Franchise Detroit Pistons • All-time roster • Seasons • Draft history • Head coaches • Current season Arenas North Side High School Gym • Allen County War Memorial Coliseum • Olympia Stadium • Cobo Arena • Pontiac Silverdome • The Palace of Auburn Hills Head coaches Carl Bennett • Curly Armstrong • Murray Mendenhall • Paul Birch • Charley Eckman • Red Rocha • Dick McGuire • Charles Wolf • Dave DeBusschere • Donnie Butcher • Paul Seymour • Butch van Breda Kolff • Terry Dischinger • Earl Lloyd • Ray Scott • Herb Brown • Bob Kauffman • Dick Vitale • Richie Adubato • Scotty Robertson • Chuck Daly • Ron Rothstein • Don Chaney • Doug Collins • Alvin Gentry • George Irvine • Rick Carlisle • Larry Brown • Flip Saunders • Michael Curry • John Kuester D-League affiliate Fort Wayne Mad Ants Retired numbers William Davidson • 2 • 4 • 11 • 15 • 16 • 21 • 40 Important figures Fred Zollner • George Yardley • Dave Bing • Bob Lanier • William Davidson • Jack McCloskey • Chuck Daly • Isiah Thomas • Bill Laimbeer • Vinnie Johnson • Joe Dumars • Mark Aguirre • Rick Mahorn • John Salley • Dennis Rodman • Grant Hill • Chauncey Billups • Rip Hamilton • Tayshaun Prince • Rasheed Wallace • Ben Wallace • Larry Brown • George Blaha NBA Championships (3) 1989 • 1990 • 2004 Culture and lore "DEE-troit BASKETBALL!" • Jordan Rules • Hooper • Pacers–Pistons brawl Rivals Chicago Bulls • Boston Celtics Media TV: Fox Sports Detroit • Radio: WDFN–AM • Announcers: George Blaha • Greg Kelser • Mark Champion • Rick Mahorn

v • d • e Detroit Pistons 1988–89 NBA Champions 4 Dumars (Finals MVP) | 10 Rodman | 11 Thomas | 15 Johnson | 22 Salley | 23 Aguirre | 24 Williams | 25 Long | 34 Dembo | 40 Laimbeer | 44 Mahorn | 53 Edwards | Coach Daly

v • d • e Detroit Pistons 1989–90 NBA Champions 00 Bedford | 4 Dumars | 10 Rodman | 11 Thomas (Finals MVP) | 12 Henderson | 15 Johnson | 22 Salley | 23 Aguirre | 33 Greenwood | 35 Hastings | 40 Laimbeer | 53 Edwards | Coach Daly

v • d • e Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2000 Players Bob McAdoo • Isiah Thomas Coach Pat Summitt • Morgan Wootten Contributors Daniel Biasone • C. M. Newton

v • d • e Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Based in Springfield, Massachusetts Members   Coaches (82) Allen • Anderson • Auerbach • Auriemma • Barmore • Barry • Blood • Boeheim • Brown • Calhoun • Cann • Carlson • Carnesecca • Carnevale • Carril • Case • Chancellor • Chaney • Conradt • Crum • Daly • Dean • Díaz-Miguel • Diddle • Drake • Ferrándiz • Gaines • Gamba • Gardner • Gill • Gomelsky • Gunter • Hannum • Harshman • Haskins • Hickey • Hobson • Holzman • Iba • Jackson • Julian • Keaney • Keogan • Knight • Krzyzewski • Kundla • Lambert • Litwack • Loeffler • Lonborg • McCutchan • A. McGuire • F. McGuire • Meanwell • Meyer • Miller • Moore • Nikolić • Novosel • Olson • Ramsay • Riley • Rubini • Rupp • Rush • Sachs • Sharman • Shelton • Sloan • Smith • Stringer • Summitt • Taylor • Thompson • Wade • Watts • Wilkens • Williams • Wooden • Woolpert • Wootten • Yow Boldface indicates those who are also inducted as players   Contributors (56) Abbott • Bee • Biasone • H. Brown • W. Brown • Bunn • Colangelo • Davidson • Douglas • Duer • Embry • Fagan • Fisher • Fleisher • Gavitt • Gottlieb • Gulick • Harrison • Hearn • Hepp • Hickox • Hinkle • Irish • Jones • Kennedy • Lemon • Liston • Lloyd • McLendon • Mokray • Morgan • Morgenweck • Naismith • Newell • Newton • J. O'Brien • L. O'Brien • Olsen • Podoloff • Porter • Reid • Ripley • Saperstein • Schabinger • St. John • Stagg • Stanković • Steitz • Taylor • Teague • Tower • Trester • Vitale • Wells • Wilke • Zollner   Players (139) Guards Archibald • Beckman • Belov • Bing • Blazejowski • Borgmann • Brennan • Cervi • Cousy • Davies • Drexler • Dumars • Frazier • Friedman • Gervin • Goodrich • Greer • Hanson • Haynes • Holman • Hyatt • Jeannette • Johnson • K. Jones • S. Jones • Jordan • Lieberman • Maravich • Marcari • Martin • McDermott • McGuire • Meyers • Monroe • Murphy • Page • Petrović • Robertson • Roosma • Russell • Schommer • Sedran • Sharman • Steinmetz • Stockton • Thomas • Thompson • Vandivier • Wanzer • West • Wilkens • Woodard • Wooden Forwards Arizin • Barkley • Barry • Baylor • Bird • Bradley • Cunningham • Curry • Dalipagić • Dantley • DeBusschere • Dehnert • Endacott • English • Erving • Foster • Fulks • Gale • Gates • Gola • Hagan • Havlicek • Hawkins • Hayes • Heinsohn • Howell • Lucas • Luisetti • McAdoo • B. McCracken • J. McCracken • McHale • Mikkelsen • Miller • Pettit • Phillip • Pollard • Ramsey • Schayes • Schmidt • Thompson • Twyman • White • Wilkins • Worthy • Yardley Centers Abdul-Jabbar • Barlow • Ballamy • Chamberlain • Cooper • Ćosić • Cowens • Crawford • DeBernardi • Donovan • Ewing • Gallatin • Gruenig • Harris-Stewart • Houbregs • Issel • Johnson • Johntson • Krause • Kurland • Lanier • Lovellette • Lapchick • Macauley • Malone • Meneghin • Mikan • Murphy • Olajuwon • Parish • Reed • Risen • Robinson • Russell • Semjonova • Thurmond • Unseld • Wachter • Walton Boldface indicates those who are also inducted as coaches   Referees (13) Enright • Hepbron • Hoyt • Kennedy • Leith • Mihalik • Nucatola • Quigley • Rudolph • Shirley • Strom • Tobey • Walsh   Teams (6) Buffalo Germans • The First Team • Harlem Globetrotters • New York Rens • Original Celtics • 1966 Texas Western Awards Bob Cousy Award • Curt Gowdy Media Award • John Bunn Award • Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award Website: http://www.hoophall.com/

v • d • e Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award 1969: West | 1970: Reed | 1971: Abdul-Jabbar | 1972: Chamberlain | 1973: Reed | 1974: Havlicek | 1975: Barry | 1976: White | 1977: Walton | 1978: Unseld | 1979: D. Johnson | 1980: E. Johnson | 1981: Maxwell | 1982: E. Johnson | 1983: Malone | 1984: Bird | 1985: Abdul-Jabbar | 1986: Bird | 1987: E. Johnson | 1988: Worthy | 1989: Dumars | 1990: Thomas | 1991: Jordan | 1992: Jordan | 1993: Jordan | 1994: Olajuwon | 1995: Olajuwon | 1996: Jordan | 1997: Jordan | 1998: Jordan | 1999: Duncan | 2000: O'Neal | 2001: O'Neal | 2002: O'Neal | 2003: Duncan | 2004: Billups | 2005: Duncan | 2006: Wade | 2007: Parker | 2008: Pierce | 2009: Bryant

v • d • e NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award 1951: Macauley | 1952: Arizin | 1953: Mikan | 1954: Cousy | 1955: Sharman | 1956: Pettit | 1957: Cousy | 1958: Pettit | 1959: Baylor & Pettit | 1960: Chamberlain | 1961: Robertson | 1962: Pettit | 1963: Russell | 1964: Robertson | 1965: Lucas | 1966: A. Smith | 1967: Barry | 1968: Greer | 1969: Robertson | 1970: Reed | 1971: Wilkens | 1972: West | 1973: Cowens | 1974: Lanier | 1975: Frazier | 1976: Bing | 1977: Erving | 1978: R. Smith | 1979: Thompson | 1980: Gervin | 1981: Archibald | 1982: Bird | 1983: Erving | 1984: Thomas | 1985: Sampson | 1986: Thomas | 1987: Chambers | 1988: Jordan | 1989: Malone | 1990: Johnson | 1991: Barkley | 1992: Johnson | 1993: Stockton & Malone | 1994: Pippen | 1995: Richmond | 1996: Jordan | 1997: Rice | 1998: Jordan | 1999: No Game Played | 2000: O'Neal & Duncan | 2001: Iverson | 2002: Bryant | 2003: Garnett | 2004: O'Neal | 2005: Iverson | 2006: James | 2007: Bryant | 2008: James | 2009: Bryant & O'Neal

v • d • e J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award 1975: Unseld | 1976: Watts | 1977: Bing | 1978: Lanier | 1979: Murphy | 1980: Carr | 1981: Glenn | 1982: Benson | 1983: Erving | 1984: Layden | 1985: Issel | 1986: Cooper & Sparrow | 1987: Thomas | 1988: English | 1989: Bailey | 1990: Rivers | 1991: K. Johnson | 1992: M. Johnson | 1993: Porter | 1994: Dumars | 1995: O'Toole | 1996: Dudley | 1997: Brown | 1998: Smith | 1999: Grant | 2000: Divac | 2001: Mutombo | 2002: Mourning | 2003: Robinson | 2004: Miller | 2005: Snow | 2006: Garnett | 2007: Nash | 2008: Billups | 2009: Mutombo

v • d • e NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player 1939: J. Hull  | 1940: M. Huffman  | 1941: J. Kotz  | 1942: H. Dallmar  | 1943: K. Sailors  | 1944: A. Ferrin  | 1945: B. Kurland  | 1946: B. Kurland  | 1947: G. Kaftan | 1948: A. Groza  | 1949: A. Groza  | 1950: I. Dambrot | 1951: B. Spivey  | 1952: C. Lovellette  | 1953: B. Born  | 1954: T. Gola  | 1955: B. Russell  | 1956: H. Lear  | 1957: W. Chamberlain  | 1958: E. Baylor  | 1959: J. West  | 1960: J. Lucas  | 1961: J. Lucas  | 1962: P. Hogue  | 1963: A. Heyman  | 1964: W. Hazzard  | 1965: B. Bradley  | 1966: J. Chambers  | 1967: L. Alcindor  | 1968: L. Alcindor  | 1969: L. Alcindor  | 1970: S. Wicks  | 1971: H. Porter *  | 1972: B. Walton  | 1973: B. Walton  | 1974: D. Thompson  | 1975: R. Washington  | 1976: K. Benson  | 1977: B. Lee  | 1978: J. Givens  | 1979: M. Johnson  | 1980: D. Griffith | 1981: I. Thomas  | 1982: J. Worthy  | 1983: H. Olajuwon  | 1984: P. Ewing  | 1985: E. Pinckney  | 1986: P. Ellison  | 1987: K. Smart  | 1988: D. Manning  | 1989: G. Rice  | 1990: A. Hunt  | 1991: C. Laettner  | 1992: B. Hurley  | 1993: D. Williams  | 1994: C. Williamson  | 1995: E. O'Bannon  | 1996: T. Delk  | 1997: M. Simon  | 1998: J. Sheppard  | 1999: R. Hamilton  | 2000: M. Cleaves  | 2001: S. Battier  | 2002: J. Dixon  | 2003: C. Anthony  | 2004: E. Okafor  | 2005: S. May  | 2006: J. Noah  | 2007: C. Brewer  | 2008: M. Chalmers  | 2009: W. Ellington *Ruled ineligible after tournament

v • d • e Indiana Pacers Founded in 1967 • Based in Indianapolis, Indiana The Franchise Franchise • All-Time roster • Seasons • Head coaches • Current season Arenas Indiana State Fair Coliseum • Market Square Arena • Conseco Fieldhouse Coaches Staverman • Leonard • McKinney • Irvine • Ramsay • Versace • Hill • Brown • Bird • Thomas • Carlisle • O'Brien D-League Affiliate Fort Wayne Mad Ants Administration Melvin Simon (Owner) • Herb Simon (Chairman & CEO) • David Morway (GM) • Larry Bird (President) • Jim O'Brien (Head Coach) Retired Numbers 30 • 31 • 34 • 35 • 529 (in honor of Leonard's total wins as Pacers coach) ABA Championships (3) 1970 ABA Champions • 1972 ABA Champions • 1973 ABA Champions • 1969 ABA Runner Up • 1975 ABA Runner Up Mascots Boomer and Bowser Media TV: Fox Sports Indiana • Radio: WFNI-AM • Announcers: Chris Denari • Quinn Buckner • Clark Kellogg • Stacey Paetz • Mark Boyle • Bob "Slick" Leonard Rivals Chicago Bulls • Detroit Pistons • New York Knicks

v • d • e New York Knicks Founded in 1946 • Based in New York City, New York The Franchise Franchise • All-Time roster • Head coaches • Seasons • Current season Arenas Madison Square Garden III • 69th Regiment Armory • Madison Square Garden IV Coaches Cohalan • Lapchick • Boryla • Levane • Braun • Donovan • Gallatin • McGuire • Holzman • Reed • Holzman • H. Brown • Hill • Pitino • Jackson • MacLeod • Riley • Nelson • Van Gundy • Chaney • Williams • Wilkens • Williams • L. Brown • Thomas • D'Antoni D-League Affiliate Springfield Armor Administration Madison Square Garden, L.P. (Owner; subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.) • James Dolan (Chairman & CEO) • Donnie Walsh (President & GM of Basketball Ops.) • Mike D'Antoni (Head Coach) Notable Figures Marv Albert • Dick Barnett • Walt Bellamy • Bill Bradley • Carl Braun • Marcus Camby • Bill Cartwright • Dave Checketts • Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton • Dave DeBusschere • Patrick Ewing • Walt Frazier • Harry Gallatin • Marty Glickman • Ernie Grunfeld • Richie Guerin • Red Holzman • Allan Houston • Mark Jackson • Phil Jackson • Larry Johnson • Bernard King • Jerry Lucas • Anthony Mason • Stephon Marbury • Dick McGuire • Earl Monroe • Charles Oakley • Cal Ramsey • Willis Reed • Micheal Ray Richardson • Pat Riley • Nate Robinson • Latrell Sprewell • John Starks • Trent Tucker • Kiki Vandeweghe • Jeff Van Gundy • Gerald Wilkins • Bob Wolff • Max Zaslofsky Retired Numbers 10 • 12 • 15 • 15 • 19 • 22 • 24 • 33 • 613 NBA Championships (2) 1970 • 1973 Rivals Chicago Bulls • Philadelphia 76ers • Boston Celtics • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • New Jersey Nets • Toronto Raptors Culture and Lore Eddie • Spike Lee • 1994 NBA Finals • Knicks–Rangers Finals series of 1994 • 1999 NBA Finals • Scott Layden • Isiah Thomas • Knickerbocker • Knicks–Nuggets brawl • Whatever Happened to Micheal Ray? • Mike Walczewski • George Kalinsky Media TV: MSG Network • Radio: WEPN-AM • Announcers: Mike Breen • Walt Frazier • Gus Johnson • John Andariese • Kelly Tripucka

v • d • e NBA on NBC Related programs NBA Showtime · NBA Inside Stuff · College Basketball on NBC · NBA on USA Related articles Ratings · NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC · Memorial Day Miracle · Bulls–Blackhawks Finals series of 1992 · Knicks–Rangers Finals series of 1994 · Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals · The Shot (1998 NBA Finals) Commentators All-Star Game · Eastern Conference Finals · Western Conference Finals · NBA Finals Key figures Marv Albert · Mike Breen · Quinn Buckner · P. J. Carlesimo · Doug Collins · Bob Costas · Dick Enberg · Julius Erving · Cotton Fitzsimmons · Mike Fratello · Curt Gowdy · Jim Gray · Matt Guokas · Tom Hammond · Kevin Johnson · Lewis Johnson · Magic Johnson · Steve Jones · Lindsey Nelson · Bud Palmer · Ahmad Rashād · Pat Riley · John Salley · Hannah Storm · Isiah Thomas · Tom Tolbert · Peter Vecsey · Bill Walton · Bob Wolff All-Star Games 1959 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 NBA Finals 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959 · 1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 Music "Roundball Rock" · "Crockett's Theme" · "Winning It All" · "Return to Innocence" · "I Believe I Can Fly" · "How's It Going to Be" · "All Fired Up" · "To the Flemish Cap" · "Unbelievable" · "An American Symphony" · "These Are Days" · "Titan Spirit"

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