Isiah Lord Thomas III (born April 30, 1961) is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Thomas was just over 6 feet tall, making him a "small man" by basketball standards. He was one of the greatest point guards and players in basketball history. His only peer in the 1980s was Earvin "Magic" Johnson who played for the Los Angeles Lakers.
He grew up poor on Chicago's South Side. As a boy he showed a talent for basketball. At this time Thomas realized his basketball skills might help his family get out of poverty and the unsafe neighborhood. Thomas attended the Indiana University. He was a member of the US men's basketball team at the 1980 Summer Olympics. Because of the US boycott, the team did not go to Moscow.
Thomas was a first round draft choice by the Detroit Pistons. He was signed to a 4-year contract. In 1984 Thomas was given an 11-year, $12 million contract. This was both the longest and highest paying player contract in Detroit Pistons history. A torn achilles tendon forced him to retire in 1994.
Thomas was the 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year. He was named the Most Valuable Player in the 1984, 1986 and 1990. He played in twelve All-star games. In 1996 he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.
Thomas has one of the best records in NBA history. He scored a total of 18,822 points averaging 19.2 points per game. He was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. In 2000 he was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
