Isiah vs Magic
Magic Johnson won a National Championship in college in 1979.
Isiah Thomas won a National Championship in college in 1981.
When Magic’s Michigan State team won, it was against Larry Bird’s Indiana State team that was so hyped it became the highest rated basketball game of all time.
When Isiah Thomas won a National Championship, it was on the same day that the President of the United States got shot. The game was an afterthought to most Americans.
Magic Johnson was All NBA First Team for nine straight seasons, beginning in 1983.
Isiah Thomas was All NBA First Team for three straight seasons, beginning in 1984.
Magic Johnson was MVP of the All Star game on two separate occasions.
Isiah Thomas was MVP of the All Star game on two separate occasisions.
When Magic was MVP of the 1992 Game, it represented one of the all time “feel good” stories in the NBA. Johnson, forced to retire prior to the 1992 season due to contracting the HIV virus, still was on the ballot and was voted in as a starter. Despite not playing all season, Johnson scored 25 points on 9-12 FG and had nine rebounds in the 1992 game.
The most memorable All Star memory of Isiah Thomas is probably the 1985 game, where big-fish Isiah “froze out” Michael Jordan in his first all star game. Jordan would hit only 2-9 FG in 22 minutes in that game. No one mentioned anything about a freeze during the game. It was the hot rumor after the All Star game had ended.
Anything you can do, I can do better is the theme of this comparison: Isiah would lead the league in assists—Magic did it four times. Isiah would lead the Pistons to back-to-back Championships in 1989 and 1990. So what. Magic led the Lakers to back-to-back titles first; in 1987 and 1988.
Isiah was not only competing (and losing) to Magic Johnson all those years, but then Michael Jordan came along.
Isiah couldn’t win for losing. Even when Thomas led the Pistons past the Lakers in the 1989 Finals, everyone remembers that the Lakers were shorthanded as both starting guards (Magic Johnson and Byron Scott) had hamstring injuries. Magic really only played one game of that series.
Jordan’s arrival in the mid-80s posed a unique threat to Thomas. Johnson was at least out on the west coast, performing his Magic. But Jordan—damn it, did he have to land in Chicago, of all places!
Chicago was where Thomas was king of the courts growing up. Isiah was a schoolboy hero in the Windy City. By 1984, Thomas was one of the truly elite players in the NBA. Michael Jordan was drafted by the Bulls—and suddenly, the Bulls were competitive. The Detroit Pistons (and anyone wearing the uniform) would be the bad guys.
Is it any wonder that Thomas would adopt the persona of his favorite football team—the Oakland Raiders? “Just Win, Baby”.
Magic and Larry and Michael were credited with reviving the league. Isiah and the Pistons were credited with bringing down the beauty of the game with their “Bad Boy” antics.
Magic and Larry and Michael were able to join forces in the summer of ‘92 (the “Good” Power Rangers) against the forces of evil. They were teammates on the Original Dream Team—the first professional team selected to represent the United States in Olympic play. The innuendo and world’s worst secret those days was this: that Jordan wouldn’t give up his summer and play if Thomas were a part of the team. Many people were saying and writing that Thomas’s walk-off the court with Laimbeer as the Pistons were being dethroned by the Bulls hurt him in his bid to be on the Olympic team.
It’s a joke that Thomas wasn’t a part of the 1992 Olympic team. Thomas was a part of a more meaningful Olympic team—the 1980 squad—that never got to compete because the President of the United States said so (more meaningful because it was comprised of amateurs). Thomas should have had the very first invitation to the ball. In a “make-good” of sorts, Thomas was asked to compete as a member of the 1994 U.S. Team in the World Championships. Why Thomas even accepted (none of the original Dream Teamers would be on this team; it would be made up of secondary stars past their prime like Dominique Wilkins; punks like Derrick Coleman and Larry Johnson; and rookies like Shaquille O’Neal.) Of course, Isiah tore his Achilles Tendon on April 19, 1994 and was unable to compete even in this. He announced his retirement on May 11, 1994.
Isiah wasn’t even accepted as a true hero by the Pistons fans or management. Isiah retired in a season the Pistons won 20 games and lost 62. Instead of handing the keys of the kingdom to Isiah, they kept their head coach (Don Chaney) for another season. It was teammate Joe Dumars who eventually became President of Basketball Operations; and stepped into the front office as soon as his playing days ended. A rift with Pistons owner Bill Davidson meant that Isiah was forced to go elsewhere—leave the country, in fact—as a part owner of the Toronto Raptors.
For various and complicated reasons, it was a no-win situation and Thomas parted ways with the franchise a few years later. Thomas was the majority owner of the Continental Basketball Association (1999-2000), but the NBA (with their own designs on a minor league) helped kill the CBA. The league now has its own NBDL (National Basketball Development League).
Is it any wonder that he sometimes put his foot in the mouth, and said the wrong things? Sometimes, this great leader said and did things that upset people. The two most memorable:
In 1987, the Pistons were on their way up—and the Celtics on their way down. Boston was the defending champion, and unbeatable on their home court. In the crucial Game 5, Dennis Rodman blocked a shot by Larry Bird and the Pistons had the ball out of bounds with seconds to go. Chuck Daly was trying to call a timeout, Isiah inbounded the ball to an unsuspecting Bill Laimbeer—and the Celtics made a miraculous steal and won the game. After the series, a distraught Dennis Rodman made the claim that if Larry Bird were black, he’d be just another guy. Isiah then made a mistake far worse than his pass in Game 5. He went on record as agreeing with Dennis. Bird accepted the apology at a hastily called press conference before the NBA Finals.
In 1991, the Pistons were on their way down—and the Bulls were on their way up. Detroit had held off Chicago in playoff series in 1988 (five games), 1989 (six games) and 1990 (seven games). By Memorial Day weekend, it was clear that the Bulls would not be denied any longer. Chicago took the first two games in Chicago, and Detroit needed a pair of victories on that holiday weekend to defend their championship. In Game 3, Isiah played his ass off: he played 47 minutes, and scored 29 points with 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Teammate Joe Dumars made just 3 field goals in 10 tries, and the Bulls took the game 113-107 to go up 3-0 in the series. In the fourth game, Isiah didn’t go quietly (16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) but Dumars got into foul trouble and again hit just 3-10 field goals for 6 points. The Bulls were going to their first Finals. In the final minute of Game 4, Thomas, Dumars, and Bill Laimbeer joined together and walked off the court early before the game had concluded. To me, it was a show of unity—of guys who had won together and now lost together. It was not taken well by their opponents or the league. To them, it was a show of disrespect.
The good news is that Thomas found a team to run in the New York Knicks. Once again, Thomas is the underdog. If he succeeds, he’ll topple the Pistons and Bulls and Celtics and ex-Celtics like Larry Bird currently running the Pacers. It’s perfect for Zeke. Just Win, Baby.
In his playing days, Thomas made the All Star game in his first 12 seasons. He retired fourth on the all time list for career assists. He took a franchise that began in the league playing in 1949 in Fort Wayne and delivered the only two Championships the team has ever won.
You have to hand it to Thomas. He had few allies among the NBA’s big boys. He battled Karl Malone and Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. Despite his size, he more than held his own.
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