Former Boston Celtics MVP candidate Isaiah Thomas made his G-League debut for the Salt Lake City Stars on March 7. Thomas put up 32 points with the Stars, including five three-pointers.
Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) drops 32 PTS & 5 3PM in his debut this season in the @nbagleague 🔥
The Marathon Continues! 🏁
Former Los Angeles Lakers champion Dwight Howard tweeted his support for Thomas via his X account. Howard followed three flame emojis with, “It’s ok if they give up. Just don’t ever give up on yourself.”
Both Thomas and Howard are Lakers alumni. In fact, they both had multiple stints with the Lakers throughout their NBA careers. They played together on the Lakers in 2021, although they only played one game together on December 21, 2021, against the Spurs. Howard won a championship with the Lakers in 2020, while Thomas had two short-lived stints in Los Angeles.
Thomas’ game with the Stars marked his second stint in the G-League. In 2022, he played for the Nuggets’ G-League affiliate, the Grand City Rapid Golds. He played three games before the Charlotte Hornets gave him a full-time contract.
Isaiah Thomas has re-joined the G-League in the hopes of resuming his NBA career.
Why Isaiah Thomas Returned to G-League
During an interview with The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Isaiah Thomas revealed why he returned to the G-League. Thomas himself revealed that it goes beyond trying to resurrect his NBA career.
“Ultimately I’m just fighting for an opportunity, I’m just trying to show teams that I’m still able to produce on the court, but I’m also most importantly, I’m able to teach these young guys.”
@isaiahthomas on why he’s playing in the G-League.
“Ultimately, I’m just fighting for an opportunity,” Thomas said, per Run It Back’s X account. “I’m just trying to show teams that I’m still able to produce on the court, but, also, most importantly, I’m able to teach these young guys and show them each and every day how to be professional and things that they’re missing.”
Thomas also explained why he wants to resume his basketball career in the NBA atmosphere instead of overseas.
“Overseas is really dope. I see those games. I love the game of basketball. It’s just at this point in my life with my family and my kids, it’d be really hard to go overseas unless they were giving out 10-day contracts, then I could make it happen. I think this is the quickest route to get back to the NBA and try to get on a playoff roster to the end of the season.”
Thomas has played in the NBA for 11 years, but he has not regained the same All-Star form since his time with the Celtics.
Isaiah Thomas Thinks He’d Help Current Celtics
Isaiah Thomas hasn’t played for Boston since 2017. Though he is aware that he’s not the player he once was, Thomas explained on February 23 why he thinks they could use him.
Thomas made his case when an X user named Bobby Lynn floated the idea of him returning to Boston.
“My leadership alone would put this team over the hump! I don’t even have to play a single minute. Just give me a jersey LOL,” Thomas wrote via his X account.
@BLynn781 @CelticsGRD My leadership alone would put this team over the hump! I don’t even have to play a single minute. Just give me a jersey LOL
The Celtics have one available roster spot at the moment. Brad Stevens has brought back ex-Celtics, such as Al Horford and Daniel Theis, in the past. Thomas has been a free agent for quite some time, and the Celtics have abstained from bringing him back. If they believe his leadership would be of great use to them, perhaps they would relent.
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Ex-Lakers Champion Shouts Out Ex-Celtic Isaiah Thomas After G-League Debut