Speaking of the NBA's inspirational archetype, Isaiah Thomas would be the first name to be mentioned in recent years. Originally selected with the 60th overall pick in the second round, Thomas Jr.'s NBA career was not optimistic, because he was too short and would be a breakthrough on the defensive end.
But Thomas Jr. never convinced, and he gained a foothold in the NBA with his extremely strong offensive efficiency. After working with the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns, Thomas Jr. eventually played for the Boston Celtics. In Boston, Thomas Jr. ushered in the peak of his NBA career, entering the All-Star Regular Game lineup and still being the core of the team.
But the good times did not last long, and Thomas Jr. came to the team with an injury in the playoffs, forming an almost unrecoverable injury, and eventually missed a big contract and began a wandering career. For the last year or two, Thomas Jr. has been working part-by-piece, and no NBA team has been willing to give him a guaranteed contract for an entire season.
However, Thomas Jr. is not willing to go to overseas leagues to play, but has been trying to return to the NBA. Recently, Thomas Jr. joined the NBA's Development League, participating in the Winter Showcase team organized by the Development League. The purpose of this team is to facilitate NBA scouts to observe the status of players and see if there are players who are suitable for NBA contracts.
Recently, many teams have been short of people because multiple players have triggered the NBA's health and safety agreements and forced to truce, and the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers are in bad shape.
Thomas Jr. made his NBA development league debut today, blasting 42 points, six rebounds and eight assists for a very eye-catching performance. At present, the Lakers are short of major generals, and perhaps they can really give Thomas Jr. a chance.