NBA

Isaiah Thomas: ‘I never been a liability on defense in my whole career just ask the coaches that coached me’

Published by
Ryan Ward

After forgettable stints with the Denver Nuggets and Washington Wizards, veteran guard Isaiah Thomas remains without a job in the NBA.

Despite teams being reluctant to sign Thomas, the 31-year-old is determined to get back on the floor this season.

One major criticism of Thomas during his NBA career has been on the defensive end of the basketball floor. Thomas fired back at the narrative that he’s a poor defender on Monday, claiming he’s never been a defensive liability.

During the 2015-16 and 2016-17 NBA seasons, Thomas was arguably one of the best guards in the game and undisputed leader of the Boston Celtics. He earned All-Star honors in both seasons with Boston but suffered an injury he’s been unable to recover from fully.

Instead of signing Thomas to a long-term deal, the Celtics decided to trade him to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving. The trade didn’t work out for either team, with Thomas never being the same and Irving leaving for the Brooklyn Nets last season.

Since his breakout years with the Celtics, Thomas has played for four different teams, which included stints with the Cavs, Los Angeles Lakers, Nuggets and Wizards.

The University of Washington product boasts career averages of 18.1 points, 5.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 43.6 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Ryan Ward

Ryan is a veteran sportswriter with nearly a decade of experience covering the NBA and NFL. He has also interviewed numerous players and coaches as a credentialed member of the media. Follow him on Twitter @RyanWardLA.

Published by
Ryan Ward

Recent Posts

Paul George: ‘Jared McCain can’t be our most consistent player’

Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Jared McCain has played as well as any first-year player so…

12 hours ago

Antonio Brown offering to play for Steelers ‘for free’ to finish 2024 season

Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown enjoyed his golden years in the league while playing…

13 hours ago

Jemele Hill blasts X amid LeBron’s social media break: ‘Full of racists, conspiracy theorists and jerks’

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James called out the amount of negativity in…

15 hours ago

Joel Embiid says ‘everything’ gets blown out of proportion with him: ‘I’m the reason for everything’

Following the Philadelphia 76ers' loss to the Miami Heat on Monday, the squad reportedly held…

17 hours ago

Ben Simmons’ agent dunks on media outlet that disrespected his client

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons laid an egg against the New York Knicks on Nov.…

2 days ago

Michael Jordan’s former teammate takes issue with G League plan for Bronny James

Former NFL safety Ryan Clark recently spoke critically of the fact that Los Angeles Lakers…

2 days ago