Through a relatively short two-and-a-third seasons with the Boston Celtics, point guard Isaiah Thomas has not only become a fan favorite in the blue-collar town, but also one of the most admired figures throughout the franchise.
Celtics CEO/owner Wyc Grousbeck joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich show on Monday morning and expressed his sincere thoughts on his franchise player.
“He is a leader and he is a guy who is an inspiration,” said Grousbeck. “It’s not talk, he just does it. It’s pretty incredible; from being the last pick in the draft to the MVP conversation and leading this team. He is fun to watch.”
Thomas has faced plenty of scrutiny for being a one-way player, displaying an incredible ability to smell blood and score at will in late stretches of the game, but being a subpar defender due to his size and overall effort.
Grousbeck wasn't troubled by that perception, but rather wished to build around the talent he has instead of tasking him with making him a player that he's not.
“I don’t buy the model of building around a guy,” said Grousbeck. “We’ve seen you have to build around three guys or a system. This isn’t to evade the question about Isaiah, it’s just to say you have to surround him with guys who are complimentary. He’s one of the most gifted offensive players and inspirational teammates I’ve come across in the 15 years I’ve been in the league.”
“He’s not the best defender, needless to say, though he’s been playing some decent D over the last three games. But you have to have a rotation of 5-10 guys who mix it all in. He can be part of that mix on a championship team, for sure.”
Thomas has endured a lost tooth and the painful loss of his sister to a car accident right before the start of the playoffs. Even if his defense is shaky at time, his toughness throughout this season can't be put in question.
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