Isaiah Thomas surprised the basketball world with a series of open messages about wanting one more chapter in his playing career. At 37, more than two years removed from his last NBA appearance and a year and a half since his last competitive game in the G League, the former All-Star publicly said he would like to spend a season playing “overseas.” He did not specifically mention Europe, but the context of his previous posts about the EuroLeague, along with the discussion that followed on social media, points fairly clearly in that direction.
The idea itself would not be particularly unusual. Europe has welcomed plenty of players with significant NBA experience in recent years, with Kemba Walker and now T.J. Warren among the examples, and Thomas had previously written about considering the EuroLeague. What is far more interesting is the way he presented the possibility this time.
“I want to hoop overseas for a year. I want that experience. And kill them over there”, Thomas wrote, before going one step further: “I don’t want to score anymore. That’s boring. I’d be the best point guard over there. Easy”.
When some users responded that European basketball might not be as easy as he seemed to think, Thomas explained that he could adjust to any style of play and that he was not disrespecting the EuroLeague, where, as he noted, there are plenty of great players. Still, he stood by his claim that he would dominate wherever he ended up.
There is no question about what Isaiah Thomas once was, the question is what he could be in European basketball today, at 37 and after such a long period without a meaningful game.
The Boston Version of Thomas Was an Elite NBA Guard
His best season still looks impressive. With Boston in 2016/17, he averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists, finished fifth in MVP voting and earned a place on the All-NBA Second Team. He did all of that at 5-foot-9 after entering the league as the 60th and final pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. Very few players have gone that far in the NBA with such obvious physical limitations.
That career was built on extreme self-confidence. Thomas carried it with him from the beginning, and it helped him spend his career defying assumptions about what a player of his size could or could not do. But did his latest comments cross into disrespect toward European basketball? The way he talks about dominating on the Old Continent does not have much in common with his current physical condition.
His Last Meaningful Basketball Came in the G League
Thomas last appeared in an NBA game on April 20, 2024, when he played just under four minutes for Phoenix in Game 1 of its playoff series against Minnesota. He appeared in only a handful of games for the Suns that season, mostly in a marginal role. His last more substantial opportunity came the following year with the Salt Lake City Stars. In 14 G League games, he averaged 29.1 points and 5.7 assists.
The potential issue for any European team interested in him would be determining how much of what Thomas once did can still translate to the EuroLeague, where he would have to operate within a much stricter structure and against defenses that would attack his physical limitations possession after possession.
His claim that he no longer wants to be a scorer is particularly interesting. The best version of Isaiah Thomas was such a dangerous creator precisely because he was first an enormous scoring threat. His speed, changes of pace, pull-up shooting and ability to attack the rim forced defenses to react. At 37, the question is how often he can still create that initial advantage. The European floor is tighter because of the shorter 3-point line, defenses can keep a big man closer to the paint for longer stretches, and at 5-foot-9 Thomas would have to find passing angles around and over much taller defenders. If he no longer has enough explosiveness to consistently get deep into a defense, deciding to “just facilitate” does not make his job any easier.
His Hip Changed the Trajectory of His Career
Beyond that, the biggest concern is his long history of health problems, which is also a major reason he was unable to do more in the NBA. The right hip injury in 2017 cut short the season of his life. Boston announced at the time that Thomas was dealing with femoroacetabular impingement and a labral tear, after which he went through a lengthy rehabilitation process, arthroscopic surgery in 2018 and another procedure in 2020 aimed at restoring his mobility and allowing him to live without pain. He never again came close to the level he reached in his final season with the Celtics.
For a guard his size, any decline in lateral mobility carries even greater consequences. A EuroLeague coach could hide some of those weaknesses, but only to a point. Opponents would inevitably involve him in pick-and-rolls, hunt switches, post up bigger guards against him and test how much contact he can still handle. For that kind of defensive compromise to make sense, his offensive production would have to be significant.
Beverley’s Warning Applies Directly to Thomas
Patrick Beverley’s recent comments fit neatly into this discussion, especially because they came at almost the same time Thomas was talking about playing in Europe. Beverley, who has played both in the NBA and in Europe, recently said that there are current NBA superstars who could not simply come to Europe and function the same way. Among the main reasons he cited were mentality, greater control from coaches, the individual being more subordinate to the team, a different pace of play and the much greater importance placed on defensive discipline.
His argument may be overstated, because it is difficult to believe that elite NBA talent could not adjust given enough time. Still, the broader point stands. Thomas’ case makes it even clearer. He is no longer a player arriving immediately after an All-Star season. Boston hired him this May as a scout covering professional and college players, another indication that his career has already begun moving toward its next phase. At the same time, he clearly is not ready to accept that his playing days are over. Or perhaps he is simply looking for attention with what he posts on social media and trying to test the waters.
There Is Still a Version of Thomas That Could Help
There is nothing inherently wrong with that, either. It would actually be very interesting to see him with the right European team. His shooting, pick-and-roll experience, ball control and ability to manufacture points in difficult situations have not disappeared overnight, while his production during his most recent G League stint showed that he can still provide solid offensive value.
Even so, it is impossible to accept his claim that he would automatically be the best point guard…