My favourite Isiah memory is from his playing days in Detroit, game 6 of the 1988 Finals Series against the Lakers. Although he had severely sprained his ankle late in the game, Thomas continued to play. While hobbling and in obvious pain, Isiah scored 25 points in a single quarter of the contest, an NBA finals record. And from the commentator (about Thomas) after he hits yet another bucket, the immortal line, "He owns the night!"
Click on the title below to read (and watch) all about Isiah in his college years.
The Playground Gave Us Isiah - The March Madness Edition | Streetball, Sneakers, Bobbito, Nike Air Force, Jordans
In March of ‘81, Isiah Thomas became a college basketball legend. He was the one indispensable member of coach Bob Knight’s Indiana Hoosier squad that captured the Big 10 Championship en route to March Madness.
The team leader in scoring, steals and assists was not only the best pure guard in the country, he was the best the college game had seen since North Carolina’s amazing Phil Ford.
The irascible and stubborn coach Knight took unprecedented steps in revamping the Hoosier’s offensive sets in order to take full advantage of Isiah’s floor game, speed, spontaneous creativity and explosive, one-on-one proficiency.
In order to understand how much Isiah meant to the team, and an entire basketball crazed state, consider this. When word leaked out prior to the ‘81 NCAA Tourney that he was considering declaring hardship to make that pro money, the Ways and Means Committee of the Indiana House of Representatives suddenly stopped its meeting and called the university. Provided assurances that Isiah was staying in school, the relieved legislators went back about their political business.
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