“ I will continue to fight, to do it with a smile. I know that at some point, someone will give me a chance. » This speech enlivens Isaiah Thomas for several years and for the moment, the “luck” to which he refers has come from a certain Danny Ainge. “ He made the connection », formulates the former Celtics elf, interviewed by The Athleticto explain his arrival at the Salt Lake City Stars, the G-League franchise linked to the Jazz, where Danny Ainge is manager.
Why hang on, at 35, when the doors to the NBA, where he has not played since April 2022, seem definitively closed? “ I love this bitch so much », says the leader, convinced that he still has good basketball years to offer. The former All-Star in Boston proves that he can still score in quantity, averaging 32 points (but only 38% shooting) after three appearances in the G-League.
“ It would be so easy to give up and stay home. Everyone can do it. I know I still have a lot of things to do. The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was being injured. It was depressing because I had never been in a situation where I couldn't control what was happening. Once I managed to overcome this ordeal, I told myself that I had to sharpen my game, and be ready for the next opportunity », Continues Isaiah Thomas.
“ I am the same player »
He thinks that his small size (1.75 meters) may have been a disadvantage because, when a player of this size ” is hurt, we look at him askance, we don't think he can be as special as he was before “. “ But ask everyone who has to defend on me: I'm the same player », Maintains the playmaker, therefore clinging to his now distant past.
Isaiah Thomas says it again: he is healthy and ready to face the ups and downs of a return to competition. “ It's a super cool feeling because I never thought I could play without pain », remembers the 60th choice of the 2011 Draft who, in addition to wanting to prove to others and to himself that he is still capable, has another audience in mind: his children.
“ I don't want them to hit a wall in life and give up. They're really seeing me and watching my every move right now, so even if I wanted to, I couldn't give up. I still have a few years ahead of me. I'm going to pursue everything I can, give the game everything I can. And I know that even though it has nothing to do with sports (but) just with life in general, it helps my kids and it's going to help another kid who's going through hard things that they can't control. I know I'm helping my kids, but if I can help someone get through what they're going through, that's my role. », Finishes Isaiah Thomas.
