Every NBA star has a ‘welcome to the league’ moment. Absolutely everybody was humbled as soon as they came into the association. Isaiah Thomas, of course, it’s not the exception, but he didn’t have a problem with that.
A couple of months ago, the free agent revealed a great story of how he had the tough job of guarding Kobe Bryant during his first-ever NBA game. He knew the challenge would be difficult to complete, but he didn’t back down. In fact, he enjoyed that moment, smiling and celebrating he was getting torched by his favorite player.
During a conversation with Showtime’s “All the Smoke,” Thomas revealed he was happy to go against Kobe, even laughing after the Black Mamba scored on him twice in a row (29.40).
“When Paul Westphal put me in the game, I remember the second quarter, he’s naming who everybody got (to guard) and I am like, ‘Coach, who I got?’ He is like, ‘You got Kobe, and remember, nobody can back you down.’ It was funny because I was like, ‘I appreciate you putting me in, but Kobe’s backing everyone down.’”
“He hits two out of three shots. The first shot that he hit, I am sprinting down half-court just laughing… It was the first time in my life where someone scored on me and I was smiling and happy about it because you know, that was my favorite player.
“And even touching his jersey I was like, ‘Damn. I made it.’ He could hit a fade away on me all day and I’d be solid. And that my Welcome to the NBA moment.”
Kobe was an inspiration for a lot of players around the world. Plenty of people would have reacted the same way as Thomas, and we can’t blame them. A couple of years after that moment, KB24 challenged and helped the point guard reach the next level, improving his game to be one of the best players in the league at one point.
He’s now looking for a new chance in the association, but those times he lived with the Boston Celtics won’t be forgotten, just like his ‘welcome to the NBA moment’ with Kobe Bryant.
