Isiah "Zeke" Thomas was one of the greatest "small men" ever to play professional basketball. At 6-foot-1, 182-pounds, he brought scoring, passing and flair to the game and a willingness to attack the basket. His only peer at point guard in the NBA during the 1980s was the Lakers' Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Thomas was in his day the grittiest performer to play the position, a feisty competitor who offered no quarter and expected none in return. Like Johnson, Thomas possessed the skill and determination to take over a game at will.
Thomas helped build a last-place Detroit Pistons team into back-to-back NBA champions in the late 1980s. Thomas'
sunny smile belied an inner toughness that made him a key member of a scrappy, physical group of players dubbed the
"Bad Boys" of Detroit. Though Thomas was an unselfish player, his personal achievements were impressive. In 13 years with Detroit, he became the franchise's all-time leader in points, assists, steals and games played. He made the All-Star Team in all but his final year and was named the MVP of the 1990 NBA Finals. Along with Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Utah's John Stockton Thomas became only the fourth player in NBA history to amass more than 9,000 assists. His 13.9 assists per game in 1984-85 is the second best all-time single season assists average in NBA history.
He played 13 NBA seasons with the Detroit Pistons, 12 of which he was named an NBA All-Star, and was MVP of the 1984
and 1986 All-Star Games. He ranks as Detroit's all-time leading scorer (18,822, 19.2 ppg, 34th best in NBA history)
and assist-holder (9,061). Thomas, named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996, led the Pistons to the 1989 and 1990 NBA championship under Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly, and was named MVP of the 1990 Finals
(27.6 ppg, 7.0 apg, 5.2 rpg). Thomas, the 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year, was named to the All NBA First-Team three times and Second-Team twice. Thomas currently ranks fourth in NBA history in assists (9,061, 9.3 apg) and ninth in steals (1,861).
He served as head coach of the NBA's Indiana Pacers for three seasons, compiling a 131-115 record and reaching the
playoffs each of his three years. Thomas and the Pacers reached the NBA playoff in each of his three seasons. On December 22, 2003, Thomas was named President of Basketball Operations for the New York Knicks.
An All-American in 1981 at Indiana University, Thomas led the Hoosiers to a 47-17 record and the 1981 NCAA championship. He was named MVP of the 81' NCAA Tournament. Thomas was selected to the 1980 Olympic Team (boycott year).
Some of his accomplishments are:
- 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year
- NBA All-Rookie Team (1982)
- Member 3 Times - All NBA First-Team
- Member 2 times - All NBA Second-Team
- 2 NBA Championships with the Detroit Pistons
- MVP 1990 NBA Finals
- 12-time NBA All Star
- MVP 1984 NBA All-Star Game
- Member NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
- Ranks fourth in NBA history in assists
- Ranks ninth in NBA history in steals
- All-time leading scorer in Detroit Pistons history
- All-time assist holder in Detroit Pistons history
- Holds the NBA Finals single-game record for most points in one quarter
- Coached the Indiana Pacers to the Playoffs each of his three seasons there
- All-American at Indiana University
- Led Indiana to the NCAA championship - 1981
- MVP 1981 NCAA Tournament
- Led Indiana to a 47-17 record
- Named to the All-Big 10 Conference team
- Selected for the 1980 Olympic Team (boycott year)
