Free agent point guard Isaiah Thomas has had a rough journey attempting to re-establish himself in the NBA after multiple injuries have derailed his promising career as a spark plug scorer, a role that he received the most recognition for as a member of the Boston Celtics. The days in which the two-time all-star was going toe-to-toe with Eastern Conference teams in the playoffs weren't actually that long ago, but it feels like ages in NBA years. After being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for star guard Kyrie Irving in 2017, Thomas struggled to regain control of the athleticism that propelled his mid-career rise and bounced around teams before completely falling out of the league.
But, in a strong show of his resilience and dedication to the game, Thomas showed out during a game under former NBA player Jamal Crawford's Pro-Am League, putting up a staggering 81 points against a mix of lower-tier professionals and amateurs. In a coincidental tribute to late Lakers great Kobe Bryant, who famously scored the same amount in a regular season game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006, Thomas showed flashes of his previous scoring prowess that had the league on notice during his Boston Celtics run.
Donning a pair of retro Nike Kobe signature shoes, Thomas put on a show that recalled his 2016-17 MVP-caliber season, proving that he still has potential to provide a scoring spark to an NBA team today. His most recent stint in the league came in the form of a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans this past season, in which he played three games before the contract expired.
The mix of injury troubles that plagued his lucrative NBA hopes definitely came at the cost of emotional and mental well-being, and Thomas showed that transparently in an emotional video following the performance. Crying into a towel, he talks about how people gave up on him as a player, but his performance in the Pro-Am game showed he potentially still has a lot to offer to the league. Check out that video below.
What do you think of Isaiah Thomas' performance? Do you think he still has enough juice to play in the NBA? Let us know in the comments.