Isaiah Thomas (basketball) facts for kids
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Thomas with the Washington Wizards in 2020
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| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Isaiah Jamar Thomas (born February 7, 1989) is an American professional basketball player. He last played for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is best known for playing with the Boston Celtics from 2015 to 2017. During that time, he was chosen as an NBA All-Star twice. He was also named to the All-NBA Second Team.
At 5 feet 9 inches tall, Thomas is a point guard. He played three years of college basketball for the Washington Huskies. He was chosen for the all-conference team three times in the Pac-10. In the 2011 NBA draft, the Sacramento Kings picked him last. He played for the Kings for three seasons. Then he joined the Phoenix Suns in 2014. In February 2015, Thomas was traded to the Boston Celtics. During the 2016–17 season, he helped the Celtics become the top team in the Eastern Conference. He was the third-highest scorer in the league. He also finished fifth in the voting for the MVP.
After getting a hip injury in the 2016–2017 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 later played for many other teams. These included the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Washington Wizards. He also played for the New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, and Charlotte Hornets. He spent some time in the NBA G League with the Grand Rapids Gold and Salt Lake City Stars.
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Early Life and Family
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 that if the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 1989 NBA Finals, he would name his son after Pistons star Isiah Thomas. Isaiah was born before the finals. But his father liked the name, and his mother agreed. She asked that they use 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
Thomas went to Curtis Senior High School in University Place, Washington. He played there 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 finished high school there in 2008.
At Curtis High, Thomas was a great player. As a junior, he scored 31.2 points per game. In April 2006, he announced he would 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
Thomas got permission from former Washington Huskies star Nate Robinson to wear his No. 2 jersey. On December 30, 2008, Thomas scored 27 points. This helped his team win against Morgan State.
As a freshman, Thomas averaged 15.5 points per game. He was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. In his second year, his average went up to 16.9 points per game. He was chosen for the 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 led the Huskies to win the Pac-10 tournament championship. A few weeks later, Thomas decided to enter the NBA draft. He gave up his last year of college.
Professional Basketball Career
Sacramento Kings (2011–2014)
Before the 2011 NBA draft, Thomas made a documentary. It was called "Road to the NBA–The Isaiah Thomas Story". The Sacramento Kings picked Thomas with the very last pick in the 2011 NBA draft. On February 19, 2012, he had his first "double-double". He scored 23 points and had 11 assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In March 2012, Thomas was named the Western Conference NBA Rookie of the Month. He was the first player picked last in the draft to win this award. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
On January 19, 2014, Thomas scored a career-high 38 points. He did this again five days later. On March 18, 2014, Thomas got his first "triple-double". He had 24 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. He became the shortest player ever to get a triple-double in the NBA.
Thomas was very popular with Kings fans. He often showed support for the team during their possible move.
Phoenix Suns (2014–2015)
On July 12, 2014, Thomas joined the Phoenix Suns. He had surgery on his left wrist in August. 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 with an ankle injury, Thomas returned in December 2014. On January 21, 2015, he scored 27 points off the bench. In February, Thomas was chosen for the NBA Skills Challenge. He was the shortest player ever to join the event.
Boston Celtics (2015–2017)
On February 19, 2015, Thomas was traded to the Boston Celtics. While playing for the Celtics, Thomas became a star player. He was a fan favorite and known for scoring in important moments.
Thomas played his first game for the Celtics on February 18, 2015. He scored 21 points. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week twice. In April, he scored a season-high 34 points. In his first playoff game, Thomas had 22 points and 10 assists. The Celtics lost to the Cavaliers in the first round. Thomas finished second in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award voting.
Thomas continued to play well 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 tied Calvin Murphy as the shortest All-Star player.
In the 2016 playoffs, Thomas scored a career-high 42 points in Game 3 against the Atlanta Hawks. He became only the ninth Celtic to score 40 points in a playoff game. The Celtics lost the series in six games.
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Thomas scored 20 or more points in 20 of the first 21 games of the 2016–2017 season. On December 20, he scored a career-high 44 points. He also made 7 three-pointers. On December 30, he scored 29 of his 52 points in the fourth quarter. This set a team record for points in one quarter. His 52 points was the fourth-highest score in Celtics history.
On January 26, 2017, Thomas was again named an Eastern Conference All-Star. He averaged 32.9 points in January. This was the third-highest monthly average in team history. On February 15, Thomas scored 33 points. This was his 40th straight game with 20 points or more. He tied a team record set by John Havlicek. The next day, he broke the record with his 41st straight 20-point game. His streak ended at 43 games on February 27.
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On March 29, Thomas scored 32 points. He became only the sixth Celtic to score 2,000 points in one season. He also set a team record with 50 straight games with at least one three-pointer. The Celtics finished the 2016–2017 season as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Thomas was the third-leading scorer in the NBA.
In the 2017 playoffs, Thomas led the Celtics to a win over the Chicago Bulls. This was after his younger sister, Chyna, died in a car accident. Thomas played Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals after attending her funeral. He helped the Celtics win against the Washington Wizards. In Game 1, Thomas lost a front tooth. He still played and scored 33 points. Two days later in Game 2, Thomas scored 53 points. This was the second-highest score in Celtics playoff history. In Game 7, Thomas scored 29 points and had 12 assists. This helped the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
After the Celtics lost the first two games of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals, Thomas was ruled out. He had a hip injury. The Celtics said his hip injury from March 15 got worse. The Celtics lost to the Cavaliers in five games. Thomas finished fifth in the NBA's MVP voting for the 2016–17 season.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2017–2018)
On August 22, 2017, Thomas was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. This trade was for Kyrie Irving. But the Cavaliers had concerns about Thomas's hip injury. So, the Celtics also sent a draft pick to complete the trade. Thomas's hip injury was serious. It kept him from playing for the Cavaliers until January 2018. When he returned, he could not 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, Thomas returned to TD Garden, the Celtics' home arena. He got a standing ovation from the fans. He averaged 14.7 points per game for the Cavaliers.
Los Angeles Lakers (2018)
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 hip surgery again. He missed the rest of the season. In 17 games for the Lakers, he averaged 15.6 points per game.
Denver Nuggets (2018–2019)
On July 16, 2018, Thomas signed a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets. He returned to play on February 13, 2019. This was his first game since March 2018. He scored 8 points. In 12 games for Denver, he averaged 8.1 points per game.
Washington Wizards (2019–2020)
On July 10, 2019, Thomas signed with the Washington Wizards. He had surgery on his left thumb in September. In December, 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. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in February 2020 but was waived the next day.
In May 2020, Thomas had hip resurfacing surgery. This surgery helped him a lot. He said, "There's no more pain. I've got my full range of motion."
Later Career (2021–2024)
On April 3, 2021, Thomas signed a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. He played three games. On December 13, 2021, Thomas signed with the Grand Rapids Gold in the NBA G League. He scored 42 points in his first game.
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, he signed a 10-day contract with the Dallas Mavericks. He played one game.
In February 2022, Thomas returned to the Grand Rapids Gold. He averaged 41.3 points per game in three games. On March 2, 2022, Thomas signed with the Charlotte Hornets. He played 17 games with them.
Thomas did not play in the NBA during the 2022–23 season. In May 2023, he said he hoped to play again. On March 6, 2024, Thomas joined the Salt Lake City Stars. He averaged 32.5 points per game in four games. On March 20, 2024, Thomas signed a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns. He played his first NBA game in almost two years. He signed with the Suns for the rest of the season on April 9.
National Team Career
In April 2018, Thomas was chosen for the USA men's national team roster. He attended a training camp in July 2018. In February 2021, he was chosen for the team again. On February 19, he scored 19 points in a win against 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 | |
Play-in
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Charlotte | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | .250 | 1.000 | – | 2.0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | 3.0 |
| Career | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | .250 | 1.000 | – | 2.0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | 3.0 | |
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 has a wife named Kayla. They have three children together.
On April 15, 2017, Thomas's younger sister, Chyna, died in a car accident. This happened in Federal Way, Washington.
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
