Isaiah Thomas (basketball) facts for kids
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Thomas with the Washington Wizards in 2020
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| No. 1 – Salt Lake City Stars | |
|---|---|
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 7, 1989 Tacoma, Washington, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Washington (2008–2011) |
| NBA Draft | 2011 / Round: 2 / Pick: 60th overall |
| Selected by the Sacramento Kings | |
| Pro career | 2011–present |
| League | NBA G League |
| Career history | |
| 2011–2014 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2014–2015 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2015–2017 | Boston Celtics |
| 2017–2018 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2018 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2018–2019 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2019–2020 | Washington Wizards |
| 2021 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2021 | Grand Rapids Gold |
| 2021 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2021–2022 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2022 | Grand Rapids Gold |
| 2022 | Charlotte Hornets |
| 2024 | Salt Lake City Stars |
| 2024 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2025–present | Salt Lake City Stars |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Isaiah Jamar Thomas (born February 7, 1989) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League. He is best known for his time with the Boston Celtics from 2015 to 2017. During these years, he was chosen as an NBA All-Star twice and made the All-NBA Second Team.
Thomas is a point guard who stands at 5 feet 9 inches tall. He played three years of college basketball for the Washington Huskies. He was chosen as an all-conference player three times in the Pac-10. After college, Thomas was the very last player picked in the 2011 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings.
He played three seasons with the Kings before joining the Phoenix Suns in 2014. In February 2015, Thomas was traded to the Celtics. During the 2016–17 season, he led the Celtics to the top spot in the Eastern Conference. He also had the third-highest points-per-game average in the league. He finished fifth in the voting for the MVP.
After hurting his right hip in the 2016–17 season, Thomas was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in August 2017. His hip injury made it hard for him to play well in the following seasons. Thomas then played for several other teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, and Charlotte Hornets. He also spent time playing in the NBA G League.
Contents
Early Life and Name Story
Isaiah Thomas was born on February 7, 1989. His parents are James Thomas and Tina Baldtrip. His father, James, was a big fan of the Los Angeles Lakers. He made a bet with a friend that if the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 1989 NBA Finals, he would name his son after the Pistons' star player, Isiah Thomas.
Isaiah was born a few months before the finals. His father still liked the name, and his mother agreed, but only if they used the Biblical spelling "Isaiah." Thomas grew up in Tacoma, Washington. As a child, his father called him "Bighead" or "Head." His mother called him "Zeke," which was Isiah Thomas's nickname.
High School Basketball Journey
Thomas went to Curtis Senior High School in University Place, Washington, until his junior year. To get a college scholarship, he needed better grades. So, he repeated his senior year at South Kent School in South Kent, Connecticut. He graduated from this school in 2008.
At Curtis High, Thomas was a star player. As a junior, he scored an average of 31.2 points per game. On April 20, 2006, he announced that he planned to play for the University of Washington.
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Thomas PG |
South Kent, Connecticut | South Kent School | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Apr 19, 2006 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN grade: 76 |
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| Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 2 (PG); 22 (school) Rivals: 14 (PG); 92 (national) | ||||||
Sources: |
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College Basketball Career
Isaiah Thomas got permission from Nate Robinson, another famous Washington Huskies player, to wear his No. 2 jersey. On December 30, 2008, Thomas scored 27 points in a game against Morgan State. This was his highest score that season.
As a freshman, Thomas averaged 15.5 points, 2.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game. He was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. He also made the second-team All-Pac-10.
In his second year, Thomas's averages improved. He scored 16.9 points, 3.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game. He was then named first-team All-Pac-10.
Thomas was again named first-team All-Pac-10 in his junior year. On March 12, 2011, he scored 28 points. He also made a game-winning shot at the buzzer in overtime. This helped the Huskies win the Pac-10 tournament championship against Arizona. A few weeks later, on March 31, Thomas decided to enter the NBA draft. He chose to skip his final year of college.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting with the Sacramento Kings (2011–2014)
Before the 2011 NBA draft, Thomas was featured in a documentary. It was called "Road to the NBA–The Isaiah Thomas Story." The Sacramento Kings picked Thomas as the 60th and final player in the 2011 NBA draft. On February 19, 2012, he achieved his first "double-double." This means he had 23 points and 11 assists in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On March 1, 2012, Thomas was named the Western Conference NBA Rookie of the Month. He averaged 12.2 points and 4.4 assists in February. No player picked last in the draft had ever won this award before. He won the award again for March. Thomas was also named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
On January 19, 2014, Thomas scored a career-high 38 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He matched this score five days later against the Indiana Pacers. On March 18, 2014, Thomas achieved his first "triple-double." He had 24 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds in a win against the Washington Wizards. He became the shortest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.
Thomas was very popular with Kings fans. He often showed support for the team during their relocation challenges.
Time with the Phoenix Suns (2014–2015)
On July 12, 2014, Thomas joined the Phoenix Suns. He signed a four-year contract. In August, he had surgery on his left wrist for an injury from the previous season. Thomas played his first game for the Suns on October 29, 2014. He scored 23 points in a win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
After missing eight games due to an ankle injury, Thomas returned on December 12, 2014. On January 21, 2015, he scored a season-high 27 points. In February, Thomas was chosen to compete in the NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge. He was the shortest player ever to take part in this event.
Becoming a Star with the Boston Celtics (2015–2017)
On February 19, 2015, Thomas was traded to the Boston Celtics. During his time with the Celtics, he became a star player and a fan favorite. He was known for scoring important points at the end of games.
Thomas played his first game for the Celtics on February 18, 2015. He scored 21 points. On March 2, 2015, he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. He later missed eight games due to a back injury. On April 8, he scored a season-high 34 points. In his first playoff game on April 19, Thomas had 22 points and 10 assists. The Celtics lost to the Cavaliers in four games. Thomas finished second in the voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.
Thomas continued to play for the Celtics in the 2015–16 season. On December 16, 2015, he tied his career-high with 38 points. On January 28, 2016, Thomas was named an Eastern Conference All-Star. He was the lowest draft pick to become an All-Star since 1989. He also became one of the shortest players ever chosen for the All-Star Game.
In the 2016 playoffs, the Celtics were down 2–0 to the Atlanta Hawks. Thomas then scored a career-high 42 points in Game 3. This helped the Celtics win. He became only the ninth Celtic to score 40 points in a playoff game. The Celtics eventually lost the series in six games.
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In the 2016–2017 season, Thomas scored 20 or more points in 20 of the first 21 games. On December 20, he scored a career-high 44 points. He also made 7 three-pointers, matching his best. On December 30, against the Miami Heat, he scored 29 of his career-high 52 points in the fourth quarter. This set a team record for points in one period. His 52 points were the fourth-highest in Celtics history.
On January 26, 2017, Thomas was again named an Eastern Conference All-Star. He averaged 32.9 points in January, which was the third-highest monthly average in team history. On February 15, Thomas scored 33 points. This was his 40th straight game with 20 or more points, tying a team record. The next day, he broke the record with his 41st straight 20-point game.
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On March 15, 2017, Thomas got injured. He missed the next two games. On March 29, he scored 32 points. He became only the sixth Celtic to score 2,000 points in a single season. The Celtics finished the 2016–2017 season as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Thomas was the third-leading scorer in the NBA, averaging 28.9 points per game.
In the 2017 playoffs, Thomas led the Celtics to a win over the Chicago Bulls. This happened after he learned his younger sister, Chyna, had died in a car accident. After the Celtics won, Thomas flew to attend her funeral. He returned for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. He helped the Celtics win. During Game 1, Thomas lost a front tooth after being hit by an elbow. He kept playing and scored 33 points.
Two days later in Game 2, Thomas scored 53 points. This was the second-highest score in Celtics playoff history. He helped Boston win in overtime. In Game 7, Thomas scored 29 points and had 12 assists. This helped the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2012.
After the Celtics lost the first two games of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals, Thomas was ruled out for the rest of the playoffs. He had a hip injury. The Celtics said his hip injury from March had gotten worse. The Celtics then lost to the Cavaliers in five games. Thomas finished fifth in the NBA's MVP voting for the 2016–17 season.
Challenges with Injuries and New Teams (2017–Present)
On August 22, 2017, Thomas was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, during his physical exam, concerns were raised about his injured right hip. The Celtics then sent another draft pick to the Cavaliers to complete the trade. Reports said Thomas had been playing with hip issues for several seasons. He chose to try to heal his hip without surgery. He thought surgery would take too long and hurt his chances for future contracts.
Thomas's hip injury greatly affected his NBA career. He could not play for the Cavaliers until January 2018. When he returned, he was not able to play as well as before. On January 2, 2018, Thomas played his first game for the Cavaliers. He scored 17 points in 19 minutes. A day later, he returned to Boston. Celtics fans gave him a standing ovation. He averaged 14.7 points per game for the Cavaliers.
On February 8, 2018, Thomas was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first game for the Lakers, he scored 22 points. On March 1, he scored a season-high 29 points. On March 29, Thomas had surgery on his right hip and missed the rest of the season. He averaged 15.6 points per game in 17 games for the Lakers.
On July 16, 2018, Thomas signed a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets. He made his debut for the Nuggets on February 13, 2019. He scored eight points in a win. He played 12 games for Denver, averaging 8.1 points per game.
On July 10, 2019, Thomas signed with the Washington Wizards. He injured his left thumb in September and had surgery. On December 22, Thomas was suspended for two games for going into the stands during a game. In 40 games with the Wizards, he averaged 12.2 points per game. On February 6, 2020, Thomas was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers but was waived the next day.
In May 2020, Thomas had surgery on his right hip. He said the surgery made a huge difference. "There's no more pain," he said. "For three years, I was trying to play the best players in the world on one leg."
On April 3, 2021, Thomas signed a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. He played three games, averaging 7.7 points. On December 13, 2021, Thomas signed with the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League. He scored 42 points in his first game for the team.
On December 17, 2021, Thomas signed a 10-day contract to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. He played four games. On December 29, 2021, Thomas signed a 10-day contract with the Dallas Mavericks. He played only one game for them.
On February 14, 2022, Thomas rejoined the Grand Rapids Gold. He averaged 41.3 points per game in three games. On March 2, 2022, Thomas signed a 10-day contract with the Charlotte Hornets. He later signed for the rest of the season. In 17 games with the Hornets, he averaged 8.3 points per game.
Thomas did not play in the NBA during the 2022–23 season. In May 2023, he said he hoped to play in the NBA again. On March 6, 2024, Thomas joined the Salt Lake City Stars. In his first game, he scored 32 points. He averaged 32.5 points and 5.3 assists in four games.
On March 20, 2024, Thomas signed a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns. He played his first NBA game in nearly two years that day. He signed with the Suns for the rest of the season on April 9, 2024. On January 28, 2025, Thomas rejoined the Salt Lake City Stars, scoring 40 points in his first game back.
National Team Career
In April 2018, Thomas was chosen for the 2018–20 USA men's national team roster. He attended a training camp in July 2018. In February 2021, he was selected for the team again. On February 19, in his first game in over a year, Thomas scored 19 points in a win against the Bahamas. The next day, he scored nine points in a win against Mexico.
In November 2021, Thomas joined the USA men's basketball roster for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers.
Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | Sacramento | 65 | 37 | 25.5 | .448 | .379 | .832 | 2.6 | 4.1 | .8 | .1 | 11.5 |
| 2012–13 | Sacramento | 79 | 62 | 26.9 | .440 | .358 | .882 | 2.0 | 4.0 | .8 | .0 | 13.9 |
| 2013–14 | Sacramento | 72 | 54 | 34.7 | .453 | .349 | .850 | 2.9 | 6.3 | 1.3 | .1 | 20.3 |
| 2014–15 | Phoenix | 46 | 1 | 25.7 | .426 | .391 | .872 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 1.0 | .1 | 15.2 |
| Boston | 21 | 0 | 25.9 | .411 | .345 | .861 | 2.1 | 5.4 | .6 | .0 | 19.0 | |
| 2015–16 | Boston | 82* | 79 | 32.2 | .428 | .359 | .871 | 3.0 | 6.2 | 1.1 | .1 | 22.2 |
| 2016–17 | Boston | 76 | 76 | 33.8 | .463 | .379 | .909 | 2.7 | 5.9 | .9 | .2 | 28.9 |
| 2017–18 | Cleveland | 15 | 14 | 27.1 | .361 | .253 | .868 | 2.1 | 4.5 | .6 | .1 | 14.7 |
| L.A. Lakers | 17 | 1 | 26.8 | .383 | .327 | .921 | 2.1 | 5.0 | .4 | .1 | 15.6 | |
| 2018–19 | Denver | 12 | 0 | 15.1 | .343 | .279 | .630 | 1.1 | 1.9 | .4 | .1 | 8.1 |
| 2019–20 | Washington | 40 | 37 | 23.1 | .403 | .413 | .816 | 1.7 | 3.7 | .3 | .2 | 12.2 |
| 2020–21 | New Orleans | 3 | 0 | 16.1 | .333 | .250 | 1.000 | 1.3 | 1.7 | .3 | .0 | 7.7 |
| 2021–22 | L.A. Lakers | 4 | 1 | 25.2 | .308 | .227 | .727 | 2.0 | 1.5 | .0 | .5 | 9.3 |
| Dallas | 1 | 0 | 13.3 | .375 | .000 | — | .0 | 4.0 | .0 | .0 | 6.0 | |
| Charlotte | 17 | 0 | 12.9 | .433 | .397 | .933 | 1.2 | 1.4 | .4 | .2 | 8.3 | |
| 2023–24 | Phoenix | 6 | 0 | 3.2 | .300 | .500 | — | .0 | .5 | .0 | .0 | 1.3 |
| Career | 556 | 362 | 28.0 | .434 | .363 | .872 | 2.4 | 4.8 | .8 | .1 | 17.5 | |
| All-Star | 2 | 0 | 18.9 | .423 | .333 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 2.0 | .5 | 0 | 14.5 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Boston | 4 | 0 | 29.8 | .333 | .167 | .969 | 3.0 | 7.0 | .8 | .0 | 17.5 |
| 2016 | Boston | 6 | 6 | 36.6 | .395 | .283 | .809 | 3.0 | 5.0 | .7 | .8 | 24.2 |
| 2017 | Boston | 15 | 15 | 34.7 | .425 | .333 | .820 | 3.1 | 6.7 | .9 | .1 | 23.3 |
| 2024 | Phoenix | 1 | 0 | 3.6 | .000 | .000 | — | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | 26 | 21 | 33.2 | .404 | .301 | .842 | 3.0 | 6.1 | .8 | .3 | 21.7 | |
NBA G League
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Grand Rapids | 3 | 3 | 37.5 | .521 | .459 | .783 | 3.7 | 6.7 | .3 | .0 | 41.3 |
| 2023–24 | Salt Lake City | 4 | 4 | 36.9 | .407 | .446 | .909 | 3.0 | 5.3 | 1.3 | .0 | 32.5 |
| Career | 7 | 7 | 37.1 | .459 | .452 | .844 | 3.3 | 5.9 | .9 | .0 | 36.3 | |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Washington | 35 | 34 | 28.4 | .418 | .291 | .686 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 1.1 | .1 | 15.5 |
| 2009–10 | Washington | 35 | 35 | 31.1 | .415 | .327 | .732 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 1.1 | .1 | 16.9 |
| 2010–11 | Washington | 35 | 35 | 31.9 | .445 | .349 | .719 | 3.5 | 6.1 | 1.3 | .1 | 16.8 |
| Career | 105 | 104 | 30.5 | .426 | .322 | .736 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 1.2 | .1 | 16.4 | |
Personal Life
Isaiah Thomas's sister, Chyna, died in a car accident on April 15, 2017. This sad event happened just before a playoff series began.
Thomas is married to Kayla. They have three children together.
See also
In Spanish: Isaiah Thomas para niños
- List of shortest players in NBA history
- List of NBA career free throw percentage leaders
- List of NBA single-game playoff scoring leaders
