Suns’ Kevin Durant: Isaiah Thomas ‘Has Inspired Basketball Players Around the World’

Adam WellsMarch 21, 2024

Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

After Isaiah Thomas played his first NBA game in two years on Wednesday night for the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant had nothing but praise for his new teammate.

Speaking to reporters following the Suns’ 115-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Durant said Thomas’ story and career has “inspired basketball players around the world.”

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet”The story that he has, his career that he’s been through has inspired basketball players around the world.”

Kevin Durant said he’s known Isaiah Thomas since he was 17 years old, and he’s been the same worker since then. KD believes that work ethic will rub off on the Suns: pic.twitter.com/OT0NYARUYW

The Suns signed Thomas to a 10-day contract earlier in the day. He was averaging 32.5 points per game on 44.6 percent three-point shooting in a recent four-game stint with the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League.

Isaiah Thomas @isaiahthomasMan it felt good to put that Suns jersey back on. I appreciate the love frfr 💙

Thomas hadn’t played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season for the Charlotte Hornets. He also had stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks during that season.

The Washington alum has an incredible story. He was the final pick of the 2011 NBA draft but immediately emerged as a role player for the Sacramento Kings.

After a stint with the Suns at the start of the 2014-15 season, Thomas was traded to the Boston Celtics midway through the year. He developed into one of the best point guards in the league, making the All-Star team in back-to-back years in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

A hip injury suffered in the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals derailed Thomas’ career. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in August 2017 as part of the Kyrie Irving deal, but hip issues limited him to 15 games and he never meshed well with LeBron James.

Thomas bounced around the league with several different teams over the next few years. His longest stint with a single franchise since being traded by the Celtics was a 40-game run with the Washington Wizards in 2019-20.

Wednesday was Thomas’ first NBA game since April 10, 2022. He was only on the floor for two minutes against the Sixers, but he recorded an assist in the win.

The Suns need more scoring punch off the bench as they look to secure a playoff berth. Thomas is a limited player at this stage of his career, but he’s more than capable of providing points off the bench when his number gets called.