"I will address this in my documentary" - Isiah Thomas reveals challenging his All-NBA snub post winning championship
Isiah Thomas’ Hall of Fame career included back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. He earned 1990 NBA Finals MVP honors in the Detroit Pistons’ impressive series against the Portland Trail Blazers. “Zeke” finished his career following the 1993-94 season with 12 All-Star selections and three All-NBA First Team.
An X (formerly Twitter) user pointed out something seemingly strange in Thomas’ resume. According to him, the “Bad Boys” (a moniker used for the 1986-92 Pistons during the time) star point guard “didn’t make the All-NBA Team after age 26.” @Antwonomous explained that immediately after Thomas’ last All-NBA selection, he went to three NBA Finals and won two of them.
Isiah Thomas responded to the tweet:
“I will address this in my Documentary; the timing is fascinating indeed.”
Thomas was 26 years old when the 1987-88 season started. Before that campaign, he made five straight All-NBA selections and was top-10 in MVP voting.
During the 1987-88 season, the Detroit Pistons finished with a 54-28 record, second in the Eastern Conference. The All-NBA guards during that season were Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson on the first team and John Stockton and Clyde Drexler on the second. Detroit reached the NBA Finals but lost to Johnson’s LA Lakers in seven games.
The following season, the Pistons finished with the NBA's best record (63-19). Even though the NBA now has three teams, Isiah Thomas was not named to the All-NBA squad. Jordan and Johnson were back on the first team, while Stockton and Kevin Johnson were in the second. Dale Ellis and Mark Price landed on the third team. Detroit won its first NBA title that season.
Detroit topped the East during the 1989-90 run with a 59-23 win-loss slate. Thomas was left off any of the All-NBA teams again. Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson continued their stranglehold of the first-team selections. John Stockton and Kevin Johnson went to the second team, while Joe Dumars and Clyde Drexler made it to the third. The Pistons repeated as champions, with Thomas winning Finals MVP.
Basketball fans can’t wait to hear Isiah Thomas’ comments about these years without an All-NBA selection.
Was Isiah Thomas robbed of at least one All-NBA selection from 1987-88 to 1989-90?
Guards in the top 10 MVP races mostly prevented Isiah Thomas from getting an All-NBA selection.
During the 1987-88 season. Michael Jordan won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. Magic Johnson was third in MVP voting. Clyde Drexler was fifth, while John Stockton was 10th that season in the MVP race. Thomas couldn’t get past those four players.
The next season, Johnson won the MVP, with Jordan coming in third. Stockton was seventh, while Kevin Johnson earned the spot after the Utah Jazz guard. Cleveland’s Mark Price made it to the final 10 but Dale Ellis wasn’t in that conversation.
Ellis averaged 27.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists, helping the Seattle SuperSonics to a 47-35 mark. Thomas’ Pistons had the best record (63-19) during the 1988-89 campaign. He averaged 18.2 points, 8.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals that season. More importantly, “Zeke” was the engine that made the Pistons hum. He could have been considered for a spot on the All-NBA third team.
The 1989-90 campaign had to be the season Isiah Thomas had the biggest shot at an All-NBA team after he turned 26 years old. Detroit’s 59-23 record was the best in the East and he was arguably their best player. He averaged 18.4 points, 9.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds.
Joe Dumars, Thomas’ co-star, made it to the third team, averaging 17.8 points, 4.9 assists and 2.8 rebounds. Kevin Johnson and Clyde Drexler weren’t in the MVP voting but had superior individual numbers than either Pistons great.
Basketball fans will not be surprised if Isiah Thomas gripes about being "snubbed" from an All-NBA team past 26 years old.