Regardless of what you think of Isiah Thomas as a general manager, coach, president of the Continental Basketball Association, or as a person, he was one hell of a basketball player and should have been on the Dream Team.
We forget how great Isiah Thomas was. Now, when he is referenced, it seems to be overwhelmingly out of disrespect.
We reference the Knicks- and boy was he god-awful with them. The only thing worse is that James Dolan kept trying to bring him back!
We reference his track record of running things in the front office. Isiah killed an entire league in the Continental Basketball Association (y’all remember the CBA, or is this just another time that a reference makes me the old man in the room- anybody? ***crickets***)
And, now, Tony Sutcliffe is writing about Zeke not being deserving of being on the Dream Team on BellyUp.
Okay- that’s the final straw! Somebody’s gotta defend Isiah Thomas, the basketball player. Give me a second and let me put this cape on. Y’all gonna put some respect on his name! That’s right R-E-S-P-E-C-K!!!
In 1992, did anyone question Isiah Thomas’ historical significance?
I hate revisionist history!
If you can’t take yourself back to your way of thinking in 1992, then sit down while this teacher takes you to school.
Put together the best team that the world has ever seen! That was the goal for the Dream Team.
The first 10 players selected included the great Michael Jordan, as well as a host of future Hall of Fame players. That being said, let’s analyze this a bit further.
Larry Bird was selected- he of the bad back and diminished game. His historical presence within the league during the 1980s was why he was chosen. The team selected Magic Johnson, even though he had retired in 1991 due to HIV. I mean, how do you tell the story of basketball without those greats?
Guess what? The other great champion of the 1980s is (let me say this loud for the people in the back); Isiah freakin’ Thomas! You can’t tell the story of the NBA without him. Even the NBA acknowledges this- by making his damn coach, Chuck Daly, the coach of the Dream Team!
In 1992, you would get no argument from anyone with any semblance of basketball knowledge if you said Isiah was more important to basketball history than everyone on the team NOT named Magic, Michael, or Larry. So why no Isiah if for no other reason than historical significance?
In 1992, did anyone question that Isiah Thomas was still one of the best NBA players in the world?
I REALLY hate revisionist history!
In 1992, if you made a list of the best point guards in the world what do you think that list would look like?
I’m willing to bet that Isiah Thomas would be on the list. Did you consider a retired Magic? John Stockton would make that list in all likelihood. Now, if in 1992, I asked you to rank those guys? This is the age-old barbershop discussion.
Isiah, on the backend of his career on an aging Pistons team, still got his guys in the playoffs and gave you 18 PPG, 7APG, and over 1 SPG.
Ranker actually did the ranking of the best point guards of the 1980s. In 1991-1992, there would not have a ton of arguments if you said that Isiah was the second-best point guard on the planet, after Magic.
Maybe the greatest testament to this is the fact that, in 2020, we can still debate this! If Clyde Drexler or John Stockton had been left off for Isiah, not only do I bet no one would have batted an eye but we would NOT consider it a modern controversy.
And why was Laettner on this team, again?
Okay- but I really, REALLY hate revisionist history!!!
In 1992, was everyone cool with a college player on the team? I remember people thinking this was a dumb decision.
So, we are putting together the greatest collection of players and, as a nod to the old way of doing things (the way that cost the USA an Olympic Gold Medal in 1988, thus leading to the Dream Team in the first place), we just putting Christian Laettner on the squad?
Huh?
That spot could have gone to a deserving NBA guy- I don’t know, maybe one that got snubbed from his opportunity in 1980 because his country boycotted the Moscow games. Maybe it could have gone to a guy that had a run of 10 straight All-Star Game selections, made the All NBA Team on five different occasions, and was a two time NBA champion while winning the NBA Finals MVP in the process?
Just saying; leave this wonky decision to include a collegian out of the process and you have one more spot for a future NBA Hall of Famer and Top 50 player of all time. And, maybe, you eliminate this little controversy altogether.
R-E-S-P-E-C-K; just a little bit!
Continue to check out the best basketball content on the web at Belly Up Sports NBA page. Follow me Twitter @ChakaCummings and check out my podcast “F” in Sports.
