At the conclusion of the 2016-17 NBA season, then-Celtics star Isaiah Thomas had proved himself to be among the best scorers in basketball.
After posting season averages of 28.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game. on46% shooting, IT became a fan-favorite in Boston, and the future looked bright.
Sadly, Thomas was traded to Cleveland in a trade for Kyrie Irving and he was never the same again.
Whether by his tragic hip injury or simply by poor fortune, IT slowly phased out of the NBA entirely and now finds himself lacing ’em up at Jamal Crawford’s “Crawsover” Pro-Am league.
It’s quite an unfortunate fall from grace for Thomas, but there is some hope that a comeback could be in the works.
After dropping 81 points in a weekend game in Seattle, Isaiah went viral online as he earned interest and attention from fans and teams around the association.
ISAIAH THOMAS JUST DROPPED 81 POINTS 😵 @isaiahthomas @thecrawsover pic.twitter.com/csaVda2RjE
— Overtime (@overtime) August 8, 2021
He was caught shedding tears after the game, which only served to make the whole thing even more emotional and intense.
He would later go on to explain why he got so emotional:
I wasn’t showing y’all a snippet of me being emotional so y’all can feel sorry 4 me. Hell no!!! My life is GREAT!! I was showing y’all that to see what it feels like to give everything you have to something you love and to see it slowly coming back where it’s suppose to be TMC.
That emotion was tied up from the last 4yrs battling every single day!!! I ain’t talking about the “league” giving up on me lol. THE WORLD GAVE UP ON ME & WAS SHITTING ON ME WHILE I WAS DOWN AND OUT!! When you love something you’ll do whatever it takes to get that!!! I’m back.
I wasn’t showing y’all a snippet of me being emotional so y’all can feel sorry 4 me. Hell no!!! My life is GREAT!! I was showing y’all that to see what it feels like to give everything you have to something you love and to see it slowly coming back where it’s suppose to be TMC 🏁
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) August 11, 2021
That emotion was tied up from the last 4yrs battling every single day!!! I ain’t talking about the “league” giving up on me lol. THE WORLD GAVE UP ON ME & WAS SHITTING ON ME WHILE I WAS DOWN AND OUT!! When you love something you’ll do whatever it takes to get that!!! I’m back 🏁
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) August 11, 2021
Thomas got a lot of love following his performance, including from LeBron James.
Yessir Killa!! Keep going my G! #TMC🏁 https://t.co/iYxIMjNE3D
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 11, 2021
You already know KING!!! All love killa. This shit don’t stop 🏁 👑 https://t.co/NJvPR2SyVt
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) August 11, 2021
In the aftermath of the game, it was reported that the Los Angeles Lakers may have some level of interest in signing I.T. to a short-term deal.
Regardless of what happens on that front, though, Isaiah has the world’s attention and, if he keeps it up, it’ll only be a matter of time before he’s back on an NBA roster.
