Isiah Thomas' Signature Moments

Winning a Chip at IU

Date: 3/30/1981

Complex Says: It's said that a point guard is the on-floor manifestation of his coach and this has never been more true than the relationship between Isiah and legendary hot head Bobby Knight. Isiah's brief, but prosperous, NCAA career running point for the Indiana Hoosiers culminated in '81 when Thomas carried IU on his little back all the way to a national championship. He picked up the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award in the process and, with nothing more to prove on the collegiate level, declared himself eligible for the NBA draft after only his sophomore season. As the NBA would come to find out, little man was no joke.

Punishing the Knicks (On the Court)

Date: 4/27/1984

Complex Says: Isiah went head-to-head with Bernard King in an epic battle during the first round of the '84 Playoffs. King scored 44 points with dislocated fingers in both hands while Isiah dropped 35 and added 12 assists for good measure. But the story was the fourth quarter. Isiah Thomas scored 16 points in 94 seconds to push the game to overtime. The Knicks won in five, but that game officially put Isiah in the conversation as one of the elite players in the L.

The Freeze-Out

Date: 2/10/1985

Complex Says: According to NBA folklore, Zeke and his fellow veterans conspired to 'freeze-out" a rookie guard by the name of Michael Jordan during the '85 All Star Game. Many of the vets felt the lil homie was getting too much attention and was being disrespectful by wearing Nike gear and All-Star gear during the weekend festivities. Mike scored 7 points on 9 shots and rarely got the rock when he was open. thus started the bitter rivalry between Mike and Zeke, which Isiah got the best of until the infamous "walk-off" game in the '91 Eastern Conference Finals. Legend has it, Jordan exacted revenge by getting Isiah banned from the '92 Dream Team that won Olympic gold in Barcelona.

The Champ-in-Training

Date: 5/10/1987

Complex Says: During Game 4 of the '87 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, Isiah drove to the bucket with 5 seconds left, split the Hawks defense and hit an improbable floater over three Hawks. In that regard Isiah's career was like the Wu-Tang: he did it again and again and again. The Hawks knew he was getting the rock and they still couldn't stop him. The Pistons went on to win the series in five. Next.

One Leg

Date: 6/19/1988

Complex Says: There's no question that Isiah, the player, was one of the best to ever do it. He was a leader whose 'tough as nails' approach garnered him respect and hatred, equally. In game 6 of the 1988 Finals versus the Lakers, Thomas sprained his ankle severely and still dropped 25 in the third quarter; a Finals record to this day. Going into the game, the Pistons had a 3-2 advantage on the Lakers but despite Zeke's valiant effort the Pistons came up short. The Lakers won 103-102, tying the series at 3-3. Thomas ended up with 43 points and 8 assists. The Pistons lost the series in 7, but returned to the finals the next two years, bringing the title back to the Motor City.

The Walk Off

Date: 5/27/1991

Complex Says: Bulls versus Pistons was more than a rivalry. It was like Hatfields versus McCoys or Bushes versus Clintons. Pure hatred right there. After getting bruised up by the Pistons in the '89 and '90 playoffs by utilizing the infamous "Jordan Rules" defense, his Airness and friends finally climbed the mountain that was the Pistons by sweeping the Bad Boys in four games in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals. The Bad Boys were so pissed they walked off the court with :04 remaining on the clock, refusing to shake hands with Jordan and the Jordanettes. Bad boys, bad boys, what 'cha gonna do?

Special Delivery

Date: 12/14/1991

Complex Says: These were the days. Remember the NBA when a guy could elbow another player and not get ejected? Yesteryear when a dude could leave the bench and take a swing at an opponent to protect his leader? Those of us who grew up with the Bad Boys (before Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, mind you) remember the times. Zeke could dish it out, but he had to take it, too. 40 stitches, now that's gangsta!

Harassing Defense

Date: October 2007

Complex Says: $11.6 million. That's how much MSG was ordered to pay Anucha Browne Sanders on behalf of Isiah. This lawsuit was a PR nightmare for the Knicks and finally chased Zeke out of town. It was like a porno soap opera that included freaky tails of sexual advances, pimping verbage and, wait for it, Starbury testifying he got head in the whip.

The Overdose

Date: 10/24/2008

Complex Says: Zeke took one too many sleeping pills. We're not going to make light of the situation because someone almost died but the events that followed made Isiah look like a payaso...and a bad parent. Police responded to a call in Westchester County, NY about an "accidental overdose." According to reports, a 47-year-old black man was found on the floor and taken to the hospital. All the media scrutiny Zeke was getting due to the Knicks lawsuit and the subsequent end of his abysmal tenure with the team may have been the reason he claimed it was his 17-year-old daughter who was rushed to the hospital, not him. "I understand that this person claims it was his daughter," Harrison Police Chief David Hall later told the media. "He is lying. It was definitely not his daughter, it was a male. We know the difference between a 47-year-old black male and a young black female.” Let's just leave it at that.

Don't Call It a Comeback

Date: August 2010

Complex Says: Despite the years of losing records, the budget busting free-agent spending and the lawsuit, Knicks owner James Dolan re-hired Isiah as a consultant. President Donnie Walsh was against it and, oh yeah, since Thomas was coaching FIU at the time it was also in violation of NCAA and NBA rules. Zeke was talking about winning rings and standing on a float, riding down

the Canyon of Heroes. He even tried to big up his free agent signings (Jared

F. Jeffries... really?), claiming they would help the Knicks go secure other big name free agent talent. Those drugs he O.D.'d on must've done damage.

Shots Fired!

Date: 3/30/2011

Complex Says: “I have no problem saying this at all, they're all 6'9" and Jordan was 6'6" and a half," Isiah told Fox Sports when asked about the Holy Trinity of roundball: Magic, Bird and Jordan. "If they were all 6'1", it wouldn't even be a question. They wouldn't even fucking rate. If they were all my size, shit, they wouldn't even be talked about. I beat the shit out of them when they were that big. If we were all the same size, fuck. Make them 6'1" and let's go on the court.” Ha! You gotta love the man's competitive spirit. Or as the young bucks say on twitter, #getoffme