In August, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics came together for one of the biggest trades of the 2017 NBA offseason. The Cavs, winners of last season’s Eastern Conference crown, sent All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving to Beantown. In return, the Celtics sent quite a haul of players and picks to Cleveland, including point guard Isaiah Thomas (also an All-Star), forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic, the Brooklyn Nets’ unprotected first-round pick in the 2017 Draft, and the Miami Heat’s second-round pick in 2020.
Thomas, a 5-foot-9 dynamo of energy, has received quite a bit of skepticism over the years with regards to his height. However, despite his smaller stature in comparison to most NBA players, the former Washington Husky standout still manages to carve up opposing defenses on a regular basis. In fact, Thomas has continually improved his game since entering the league as a second round pick in 2011 (Sacramento Kings).
Last season, Thomas racked up some of the best statistical numbers of his career, averaging a career-high 28.9 points on 46 percent shooting from the field (career-high), 5.9 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and just under one steal (0.9) in 33.8 minutes per game. And for the record, “I-T,” as he is known, finished last year’s campaign with a 91 percent accuracy rate from the charity stripe.
On Tuesday, Instagram user @kayla_jasmin decided to take a jab at Thomas’ height. After taking a tour of the Cavs facilities, Thomas stopped for a quick photo in front of his mew locker with his son.
“Welcome to Cleveland,” the social media user commented. “And good luck with that top shelf.”
After seeing the unnecessary comment, Thomas, one of the more reserved players in the NBA, decided to post a cheeky reply.
“List me at whatever you want lol,” Thomas replied. “Just put 29 points per game next to my name lol.”
Hey, Thomas has a fair point. Being 5-foot-9 and averaging 29 points per game? Maybe his critics should reconsider their careless evaluations. As they say, the proof is in the pudding.