Isiah Thomas

Isiah Thomas
Thomas in 2007
Personal information
Born (1961-04-30) April 30, 1961 (age 63)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High schoolSt. Joseph (Westchester, Illinois)
CollegeIndiana (1979–1981)
NBA draft1981: 1st round, 2nd overall pick
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Playing career1981–1994
PositionPoint guard
Number11
Coaching career2000–2012
Career history
As player:
19811994Detroit Pistons
As coach:
20002003Indiana Pacers
20062008New York Knicks
20092012FIU
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As coach:

Career NBA playing statistics
Points18,822 (19.2 ppg)
Assists9,061 (9.3 apg)
Steals1,861 (1.9 spg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Career coaching record
NBA187–223 (.456)
College26–65 (.286)
Record at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Basketball Hall of Fame
Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1979 San Juan Team competition

Isiah Lord Thomas III (/ˈz.ə/ eye-ZAY; born April 30, 1961), also known as "Zeke", is an American former professional basketball player and coach who is an analyst for NBA TV and Fox Sports. He played his entire professional career for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time, Thomas was a two-time NBA champion, an NBA Finals MVP recipient, a five-time All-NBA Team member, a 12-time NBA All-Star with two All-Star Game MVP awards and the 1985 NBA assist leader. He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. From 2000 to 2012 he coached the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and FIU.

Thomas played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, leading them to the 1981 NCAA championship as a sophomore and declaring for the NBA draft. He was taken as the second overall pick by the Pistons in the 1981 NBA draft, and played for them his entire career, while leading the "Bad Boys" to the 1988–89 and 1989–90 NBA championships.

Following his playing career, Thomas was an executive with the Toronto Raptors, a television commentator, the owner of the Continental Basketball Association, the head coach of the Indiana Pacers, and an executive and head coach for the New York Knicks. He later served as men's basketball coach for the Florida International University (FIU) Golden Panthers for three seasons from 2009 to 2012. Thomas was a president and part owner of the Knicks' WNBA sister team, the New York Liberty, from 2015 to 2019.