Pelicans' Isaiah Thomas Says He's '102%' After Recovering from Surgery on Hip Injury
Isaiah Thomas said he is more than fully recovered from the hip injury and subsequent surgery he had last May.
Per ESPN's Andrew Lopez, Thomas told reporters on Tuesday that he was "102 percent" and "more than good" after undergoing a hip resurfacing procedure.
"This is the best I ever felt since before I got injured," he said. "It's not even a question no more. Every day I wake up with a smile on my face because honestly I never thought I would feel this good again and feel back to normal. Physically I'm ready. Mentally I'm ready. And I'm just happy to really be here."
Thomas, who hasn't played in the NBA since February 2020, was limited by a hip issue in the 2016-17 campaign, and, as a result, he only appeared in 84 games over the next three seasons.
In 40 games with the Washington Wizards last season, Thomas averaged 12.2 points on 40.8 percent shooting—his best shooting percentage since 2016-17—with 3.7 assists.
He played two games with Team USA in February, and he said that opportunity helped kickstart his return to the league. He told reporters "four or five teams were calling" following those games.
New Orleans signed him to a 10-day deal on Saturday, and his presence could be imperative to the team hanging on to any hopes of the postseason.
The 22-27 Pelicans, who are currently in 11th place in the Western Conference, are dealing with injuries to a number of bench players: Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis are all hurt, while stars Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have both missed the last three games.
