Follow usFormer Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas has made a bold claim, insisting that if he were just a few inches taller, he would be the greatest basketball player of all time. Speaking on the Got Stole podcast, the 6-foot-1 point guard said, “If I was 6’3″ tall, I would be the greatest player of all time. I’ve even surpassed Hall of Famers. There’s no way guys who are 6’3″ or 6’8″ tall could do what I did at 6’1″. From that perspective, I’m one of the best.”
Thomas, a two-time NBA All-Star, reached the peak of his career during the 2016–17 season with the Boston Celtics, averaging 29 points and 6 assists per game. That year, he led Boston to the top seed in the Eastern Conference and into the conference finals, where they were ultimately defeated by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
His story remains one of the most compelling underdog journeys in modern NBA history. Selected with the 60th and final pick of the 2011 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, Thomas defied the odds to become one of the league’s most explosive scorers. After short stints with the Kings and Phoenix Suns, he joined the Celtics in 2015, where he became a fan favorite and an MVP candidate.
Isaiah Thomas will be honored at this year’s “The Tradition”, The Sports Museum’s annual gala in Boston, per @GwashburnGlobe
He’s receiving the Basketball Legacy Award alongside other Boston sports legends
Congrats, IT! pic.twitter.com/b5rEa4LM2b
— SleeperCeltics (@SleeperCeltics) October 13, 2025
However, his career took a sharp turn following a hip injury suffered during the 2017 playoffs. Later that summer, Thomas was traded to Cleveland in the deal that sent Kyrie Irving to Boston — a move that marked the beginning of his decline.
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