Isaiah Thomas Says 'A Lot of NBA Teams' Want to Watch Him Play in FIBA AmeriCup
Free-agent guard Isaiah Thomas is eager to showcase his talents to NBA scouts when he participates in the FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers for Team USA against the Bahamas on Friday and Mexico on Saturday.
"It was a no-brainer," Thomas told Tom Carothers of Red Line Editorial for USAB.com regarding the opportunity to play for Team USA.
"It is a great opportunity to come out here and participate. A lot of NBA teams have told me that they want to watch me play. Here at this tournament, I'm able to play against real competition in addition to being able to represent my country, which is an honor and a privilege."
Team USA has already earned a bid into the tournament but has two more qualifier-round games this week.
Thomas has starred on NBA courts in the past, perhaps no more than when he inserted himself into the MVP discussion during the 2016-17 season, when he averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game for the Eastern Conference finalist Boston Celtics.
Injuries have significantly hindered his career ever since that season, when he played through hip pain to finish out the year.
However, Thomas says he's 100 percent healthy and good to go.
"It gave me time to get 100 percent healthy," Thomas said. "I was able to get a procedure done on my hip last May that has allowed me to feel 100 percent again."
Thomas' last time on the court came with the Washington Wizards, when he posted 12.2 points on 40.8 percent shooting and 3.7 assists in 23.1 minutes per game during the 2019-20 season.
Washington dealt Thomas to the Los Angeles Clippers before the Feb. 7 trade deadline, and that all but ended the point guard's season as L.A. soon waived him.
However, this week could buoy Thomas' chances of making it back to the NBA, and he's in good spirits upon getting a clean bill of health.
"It's been night and day," Thomas said.
"With how bad my hip was, I never thought that I could play the game without pain ever again, and now I wake up every day with a smile on my face, because I'm not dealing with constant pain. It's got me in so much of a better place not only physically, but mentally.
"I feel so thankful to be able to play the game again, and more than that, I'm thankful to be able to feel normal again."
Thomas previously told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he's spoken with a few NBA teams who are interested in his services.
The ex-University of Washington star entered the NBA after the Sacramento Kings took him with the final pick of the 2011 draft. He's averaged 18.1 points and 5.0 assists during his nine-year NBA career.
