Isaiah Thomas is looking beyond the NBA, and he’s not hiding the fact that overseas basketball has his attention.
The former All-Star has been trying to get back into the league, but his recent comments made it clear he’s open to a different path. Thomas said, “I want to hoop overseas for a year!!!
I want that experience! And to cook them boys over that water.
Take this SLOW GRIND to another country and go crazy!”
He doubled down in a follow-up post, saying, “It’s funny when people be like, ‘You can’t still cook like you used to.’ Like why can’t I?”
Thomas added, “I don’t even want to play like that anymore though lol. If I played again, I’d just be a PG and make plays that lead the league in AST-type s-t and let y’all see how easy it is.”
For Thomas, the idea seems to be about more than just finding a place to play. He appears ready to treat it like a proving ground, with skepticism from outsiders giving him extra motivation.
He already named two destinations that catch his eye. Thomas said, “NBL looks crackin’ too… PR does too.” That puts Australia’s NBL and Puerto Rico’s BSN on his preferred list.
The overseas idea would also come while his career is in a strange in-between spot. Earlier this year, it was reported that Thomas would be returning to the Boston Celtics, but as a scout rather than a player. His work would focus on evaluating collegiate and pro talent on the West Coast, though it now sounds like he wants a few more games on the floor before fully shifting into front-office life.
Thomas still has the résumé of a guard who can make an impact. He owns career averages of 17.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, along with shooting marks of 43.4% from the field and 36.3% from three-point range. His defense could be a question for any team considering him, but his scoring and playmaking remain the calling cards.
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