Published by Marcus Vanderberg on Friday, October 23, 2009 at 12:27 am.
Can’t we all just get along?
Years after competing against each other on the court, Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson are in the middle of a heated feud.
Is it 1992 or 2009? I mean seriously, fellas.
In a new book Johnson wrote with Larry Bird, the Lakers point guard says he played a role in keeping Thomas off the 1992 Dream Team.
“Isiah killed his own chances when it came to the Olympics,” Johnson said in the book. “Nobody on that team wanted to play with him. … I’m sad for Isiah. He has alienated so many people in his life, and he still doesn’t get it. He doesn’t understand why he wasn’t chosen for that Olympic team and that’s really too bad. You should be aware when you’ve ticked off more than half of the NBA.”
Thomas has long had a history of being disliked in NBA locker rooms, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that nobody wanted to play with him.
But to hear it from a guy who had such a public relationship with Thomas, including exchanging kisses before the 1988 NBA Finals, has to hurt.
“I’m just disappointed and hurt,” Thomas told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I never thought it was him who kept me off the Olympic team. That hurt.”
This is what happens when you’re a jerk to people, Zeke.
On Thursday’s Pardon the Interruption, Boston Globe reporter Jackie MacMullan, who helped write the book with the two NBA legends, discussed the feud.
Published by Marcus Vanderberg on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 3:01 pm.
He’s baaaaaack.
After getting run out of New York, Isiah Thomas has surfaced again as the new head coach of the Florida International Panthers.
Not many folks outside of South Florida could tell you a thing about FIU athletics but that didn’t stop Thomas from signing a five-year deal in hopes to rejuvantage his coaching career.
Considering his track record, it’s only a matter of time before Isiah ruins another program.
But for FIU, there’s nothing but upside. You automatically put your program on the map and Zeke should have no problem getting recruits to come play ball in Miami.