Isaiah Thomas sees some Allen Iverson in himself

When he was still playing, Allen Iverson won the respect of many for defying the norm.

Basketball was supposed to be a game of height, but the six-foot guard wasn’t having any of it as he went on to win the Most Valuable Player award in 2001. Look past the way he dresses and carries himself ever so casually off the court, and one will only see an individual that is all heart on the floor.

Like Iverson, Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas has been playing with a chip on his shoulder all these years. It started the moment he was drafted 60th overall in 2011 – dead last.

Since then, Thomas has worked his way into becoming a relevant NBA player, and even surpassed that by virtue of an All-Star selection last season. That’s why it’s no surprise why the diminutive point guard gives so much praise for Allen Iverson.

Pound for pound the best to ever play the game! Thank you @theofficialai3 for everything you've done for the game a basketball. There will never be another Allen Iverson but I'm for damn sure going to be the closest thing to you LOL. Thank you for inviting me to your Gala and allowing me to speak at it. Appreciate all the long talks we've had, they have changed the way I approach the game! #RealRecognizeReal #TheAnswer ????: @joipearsonphoto

A photo posted by Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) on Aug 6, 2016 at 11:20am PDT

Even though the message appeared light-natured, it doesn’t come without basis. The parallels between these two individuals’ challenges are simply hard to ignore. And without a doubt, Isaiah Thomas is the closest that the NBA has had to Allen Iverson since the future Hall of Famer retired.