Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks believes point guard Isaiah Thomas still has that “it factor.”
The Wizards signed Thomas to a one-year deal in free agency this summer. The former All-Star guard will either start for Washington next season or back up Ish Smith.
Thomas hasn't been the same superstar player since suffering that hip injury. Brooks, though, isn't giving up on Thomas and says the lefty should thrive with the Wizards:
“Yeah, I don't think you ever lose that. He's not afraid take the last shot,” Brooks told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. “And if you're really good you're gonna make in the mid 40s so you're gonna miss 55 or maybe even 60 percent of them. And the guys that are like IT, Isaiah, he has that in him. He has that it factor. You don't want him late in the game, and we're trying to get him back to that. Him and Ish Smith are gonna get a great opportunity to really lead our team, whoever starts or whoever doesn't start, they both are going to get great opportunities.”
Isaiah Thomas is looking to revive his NBA career with the Wizards. He struggled with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers and fell out of the Denver Nuggets' playing rotation last season.
Thomas averaged 8.1 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 12 regular-season games with the Nuggets while shooting 34.3 percent overall, 27.9 percent from the 3-point line and 63.0 percent from the charity stripe.
IT has a great opportunity with the Wizards, so we'll see if he takes advantage of it.