Isaiah Thomas Shares The Love With Boston Fans, Celtics Organization
BOSTON (CBS) -- Celtics fans love Isaiah Thomas, and the C's point guard is sending that adulation right back.
In an article penned for ThePlayersTribune.com on Friday, Thomas discussed his trade to the Celtics and the passion and love he immediately felt from not just the fans, but the Boston brass upon his arrival.
From Thomas' post:
I passed my physical that night, and while the Celtics were in Sacramento playing the Kings, I watched the game with Danny Ainge in his office — just me and the GM. We talked about the team, about the trade, about me. And he said something to me I couldn't believe.
"Isaiah … the way you play the game of basketball, you could be a Celtics legend."
A Celtics legend? I thought he was crazy — like he was just caught up in the excitement and hype of making a big trade.
But then I Skyped with coach Brad Stevens later that night, and not only was he hyped about the trade, he was hyped about me. He said he didn't want me to adapt to the rest of the team. He wanted the rest of the team to adapt to me. He said he wanted me to play my game and be the best Isaiah Thomas I could be.
I had never heard anything like that from a coach in my professional career. These guys weren't just hyped about a big trade. They genuinely believed in me. And I could tell that they believed in every guy in that locker room. That's why they brought us here.
That's when it hit me: This was the opportunity I had always wanted. The one I had worked my whole life for. And I was going to do everything I could to take advantage of it.
Thomas received a text from Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas shortly after the trade, telling the new Celtics guard, "This is the best thing that will ever happen to your career."
That text wasn't enough though, so the two shared a phone call shortly after.
"Now you're gonna experience what real basketball is like, what real fans are like, what a real organization is like," Thomas told Thomas. "And they're gonna fall in love with you more than any place you've ever been."
It took him some time to understand the elder Thomas' message, but Isaiah gets it now. It was the scene at the TD Garden following last season's postseason sweep by the Cleveland Cavaliers that really showed the Boston fans' passion and love for the team -- and Isaiah.
The Boston fans got on their feet and started chanting, "Let's go, Celtics!"
They gave their team, who had just been swept, a standing ovation.
At that moment, I knew that this city was like no other. Even though the season was over, it felt like we were starting something.
That something has carried over for Thomas and the Celtics. He was named to his first All-Star team this season, and is well on his way to becoming a household name in Boston -- and not just among Celtics fans.
But the best part is Thomas knows that, while it didn't take much to win over Celtics fans at first, he has a lot to do in order to go down as one of those Celtics legends.
Older Isiah was right. Being in Boston has been the best thing that could have ever happened to my career. I can honestly say I feel blessed to be a part of this city and this organization.
They say if you win a championship in Boston, you'll be loved forever.
And I want every guy on this team to experience that.
It's a great piece by Thomas that will get Celtics fans fired up ahead of their playoff series against the Hawks, which gets underway Saturday night in Atlanta. And as great as Thomas has been, let's hope the Celtics brass is sending a copy to future free agents as they try to lure some running mates for their 5-foot-9 scoring machine.
