Isiah Thomas.

Isiah Thomas. Isiah Thomas, born in 1961, American professional basketball player and coach, who was one of the top point guards in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during the 1980s and early 1990s. Thomas, adept at dribbling, passing, and shooting, was a quick and dazzling player. At only 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)--small when compared to most NBA players--he was one of only a few players of his size who could dominate a professional basketball game. Born Isiah Lord Thomas III in Chicago, Illinois, he attended Indiana University. After his first college season (1979-80) he won a place on the 1980 United States Olympic basketball team, although the United States boycotted the Olympic Games, held in Moscow that year, for political reasons. As a sophomore Thomas led the Indiana University team to the 1981 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball championship. He left Indiana University after two seasons and was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the second pick (after Mark Aguirre) in the 1981 NBA draft. The Pistons earned the nickname Bad Boys in the 1980s for their physical style of play, but Thomas, who often used a variety of fancy moves, was a popular and charismatic player, emerging as the leader of the team. Beginning in his rookie season (1981-82), he was named to the NBA All-Star team 12 consecutive times. He led the league in assists in the 1984-85 season, averaging 13.9 per game, and over his 13-season career he recorded averages of 19.2 points per game and 9.3 assists per game. Thomas led the Pistons to the NBA Finals three consecutive times (1988-90). In 1988 the Pistons lost in the finals to the Los Angeles Lakers, but they won the championship in 1989 and 1990. In 1990 Thomas was named most valuable player (MVP) of the championship finals. After Thomas's retirement in 1994, he became an executive with the Toronto Raptors, an NBA expansion team that began playing in the 1995-96 season. In 1997 Thomas left his position in the Raptors franchise to work as a basketball analyst for the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). In 1999 he became the owner and chief executive officer of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), a professional basketball minor league affiliated with the NBA. In 2000 Thomas became head coach of the Indiana Pacers. He subsequently returned to an executive position in basketball as general manager for the New York Knicks. Thomas was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. In October 2007 Thomas was found guilty in a sexual harassment lawsuit but was not required to pay punitive damages. He promised to appeal the jury's finding in a case that involved an executive for Madison Square Garden, the owners of the Knicks. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.