The career arc of former Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas is one of the most fascinating in recent history. Thomas had an MVP caliber season in 2016-17, serving as the emotional and physical leader of a Celtics team that got all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
He was nothing short of electric that season, averaging 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game on 46.3% from the field and 37.9% from three. He played through a hip injury and the tragic death of his sister, but that offseason, the Celtics dealt Thomas to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving and Thomas never fully recovered. He never played more than 40 games in a season again and missed entire seasons as a free agent.
But when he looks back at the time that he was on top of the basketball landscape, it’s Lakers legend Kobe Bryant that sits most prevalently in his head. He credited the Black Mamba for the preparation they did together during that season, Bryant’s first year of retirement, via the Knuckleheads podcast:
“Every night, I knew I was getting 30 [points]. I knew it because I just figured it out. I figured the game out inside and out. I watched film every day. I prepared on some Kobe shit. Like I really did. And he was able to mentor me and really mold me all year. I used to call Kobe at night. We used to watch film, he used to really take his time and watch film with me. My skills were always there, but my mental just took it to a different level.”
Thomas’ All-NBA seasons was one of the more fun and intriguing storylines of the last decade, and the fall-off that followed makes it all the more interesting. The Celtics have been criticized for their handling of Thomas, especially as the guard gets further and further away from his productive years on the court.
But Bryant — who became a stellar mentor in his post-playing years — will always be credited for helping Thomas achieve his fullest potential as a player.
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum got Kobe Bryant tattoo
One person who has idolizing Kobe Bryant for years is Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who was able to build a close relationship with the purple and gold great before his tragic passing in 2020. Tatum has paid tribute to Bryant numerous times, and he has now done so again in a permanent manner.
The reigning NBA Champion is in the midst of a fantastic summer in which he won a title and a gold medal while also securing a contract extension. When choosing a new tattoo though, Tatum decided to get one of the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP trophy that he won in 2023.
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