Boston

Former Celtic Isaiah Thomas Plays Pickup Game With Emerson Students

Now with the Nuggets, the diminutive point guard remains a fan favorite in Boston

Remember Isaiah Thomas? The spark-plug point guard electrified Boston Celtics fans for 2-plus seasons with his scrappy play.

He’s now with the Denver Nuggets and will be playing on the TD Garden floor for the first time since the blockbuster trade for Kyrie Irving on Monday night.

But it’s evident he still loves Boston, and Boston still loves him.

"He’s one of my favorite players to ever wear a Celtics jersey," Emerson College student Kyle Bray said.

It started off with a Tweet on Sunday, when Thomas asked his followers to play pick-up basketball in Boston. Bray responded by inviting him to the school’s gym. His friends, like Jeremy Guerin, didn't believe Thomas would show.

"I was like, 'He’s not going to come,'" Guerin said.

Apparently, the Nuggets were headed there anyway for a workout. But no one expected to see what happened next.

"We were like 'Hey man, we’re short a guy, you wanna join?' And he was like, 'Ya’ll balling,'" said Bray.

Thomas agreed to play. After his own team's practice, he stuck around and played pickup basketball for almost 30 minutes with the Emerson students.

"He didn’t have, to but he did. That just shows how much of a genuine person he is," said Emerson student Jordan Leandre.

Once the shock and awe wore off, the students said they took plenty of photos.

"For him to actually say yes was a crazy experience," said Patrick Mulligan, another one of the students.

It's a reminder of why Thomas remains a fan favorite on and off the court.

"I always wanted to meet him and thank him for everything that he did during his time in Boston," Bray said.

Thomas is a free agent at the end of the season and has expressed interest in coming back to the Celtics.

Contact Us