Could Isiah Thomas be the most underrated player in NBA history.

[Niquesports]

Today for anyone under 30 Isiah Thomas is just a joke but everyone over 30 that remembers the bad boys and Thomas at IU knows that Chris Paul has nothing on him. I have Thomas as the 4 Greatest Guard of all time behind only Magic,Oscar and West.Lets look at Zekes Highlights
[LIST][*]Came to a Pistons team that only won 16 and 21 games the previous and lead them to 39 wins as a rookie[*]3 straight seasons as ALL NBA First team[*]12 Time All Star[*]US Olympion[*]NCAA Champion[*]Career Avg of 19.2 ppg and 9.3 apg[*]High of 13.9 apg a record at that time 84-85 season[*]NBA All STAR MVP 2times.[*]1 of 4 players to have 9,000 assist others Stockton,Magic and Oscar (good company)[/LIST]Then look at him on the Big stage the Post season
[LIST][*]20.4 ppg [*]MVP of the 90 Finals where he avg 27ppg 7apg 5 rpg against Portland [*]Once had 24 point in the 3rd qt. in 87. A feat not even Jordan,Shaq,or Wilt has ever matched and can i add Kobe.[*]Then came back in 88- and scored 25points in the 3rd qt. of game 6. He did that on a severly sprined ankle.[/LIST]The media and many fans have a very strong dislike for Thomas. He brought it mostly on himself for his public dissing of media darlings Jordan and Bird. His bad coaching and GM moves have made him a joke in todays NBA. But when silly young fans try and rank a Paul,or Lebron or even Kobe over THomas its time we stop ranking players off court issues and stick to there on court play and accomplishments. At slighly over 6ft and thats a very slightly THomas is a top 5 guard and will always be .

[YouCallILose]

No, John Stockton is.


Thomas is generally considered better than Stockton, yet


Stockton was basically Steve Nash with elite defense

[Niquesports]

No, John Stockton is.


Thomas is generally considered better than Stockton, yet


Stockton was basically Steve Nash with elite defense

Saying that I come up with 3 conclusions

1 You never saw them play
2 You fall in with other that just hate Thomas and love Stockton
3 Sure Stock got more assist but Thomas was also a great playmaker. But the big factor which makes your staement silly for lack of calling it stupid. Is that Isiah could take over a game in ways Stockton could only dream of. Thomas ability to be the best player on the floor no matter who else was on that floor is what seperates him from Stockton. Most would agree a THomas and Karl Malone duo would have won at least 1 ring

[Go Getter]

No, John Stockton is.


Thomas is generally considered better than Stockton, yet


Stockton was basically Steve Nash with elite defense

Idk about the elite defense part...he played off ball very well and was scrappy and venerable but I just don't know if I could say elite level D and I have THE UTMOST respect for Stockton.

As far as the OP I agree Zeke is very underrated imo.

[Niquesports]

No, John Stockton is.


Thomas is generally considered better than Stockton, yet


Stockton was basically Steve Nash with elite defense

Which is why he isnt a top 5 when you can compare him to Steve Nash . Stocton is like a Dan Mariono good numbers no post season heroics which will keep him out the top 5 and maybe the top 10. Guards that where/are better than Stock.

Magic
Osacr
West
Thomas
Kobe
Cousy
Frazier
Cousy
Payton
Then Stockton he may have been better at assist but in all around game these players were better. I would say Hal Greer was better also.

[YouCallILose]

Saying that I come up with 3 conclusions

1 You never saw them play
2 You fall in with other that just hate Thomas and love Stockton
3 Sure Stock got more assist but Thomas was also a great playmaker. But the big factor which makes your staement silly for lack of calling it stupid. Is that Isiah could take over a game in ways Stockton could only dream of. Thomas ability to be the best player on the floor no matter who else was on that floor is what seperates him from Stockton. Most would agree a THomas and Karl Malone duo would have won at least 1 ring

Stockton's prime was 15/13/3/3 on 50/40/90

Thomas's prime was 19/9/4/3 on 46/30/78


Stockton=Nash with elite defense
Thomas=Derrick Rose

[Go Getter]

Stockton's prime was 15/13/3/3 on 50/40/90

Thomas's prime was 19/9/4/3 on 46/30/78


Stockton=Nash with elite defense
Thomas=Derrick Rose

Zeke was the main event when he stepped on the court for the Pistons...if he had a Malone type scorer his numbers would have looked a bit better.

[brownmamba00]

LOL@ Frazier, Cousy and Payton being better then Stockton.

[DCL]

isiah won at practically all levels. he was small man with high impact. he just did whatever to win and always played like that. people hate him because he was a sore loser and a dirty guy sometimes. but in old school view, that's just passion for wanting to win badly.

[YouCallILose]

Which is why he isnt a top 5 when you can compare him to Steve Nash . Stocton is like a Dan Mariono good numbers no post season heroics which will keep him out the top 5 and maybe the top 10. Guards that where/are better than Stock.

Magic
Osacr
West
Thomas
Kobe
Cousy
Frazier
Cousy
Payton
Then Stockton he may have been better at assist but in all around game these players were better. I would say Hal Greer was better also.

So Kobe Bryant is a better point guard than John Stockton.

AWESOME

[Niquesports]

Stockton's prime was 15/13/3/3 on 50/40/90

Thomas's prime was 19/9/4/3 on 46/30/78


Stockton=Nash with elite defense
Thomas=Derrick Rose

Stocton elite Defense He was a very good off ball defender elite D ??? Are you saying he was equal to or better on D than Payton,D Johnson Joe Dumars,Jordan,Kidd, Alvin Roberstson thoses were the elite Defenders of Stockton's day he not in that elite class

[YouCallILose]

Stocton elite Defense He was a very good off ball defender elite D ??? Are you saying he was equal to or better on D than Payton,D Johnson Joe Dumars,Jordan,Kidd, Alvin Roberstson thoses were the elite Defenders of Stockton's day he not in that elite class

Stockton made 6 all defensive teams, pretty elite IMo

[Niquesports]

So Kobe Bryant is a better point guard than John Stockton.

AWESOME

I did say guards but Since most of my list are PG I give that to you drop Kobe cause if we just say guards that would move Stockton to below top 15

[DCL]

hard-nosed defender is not same as elite shut your muthafkin ass down defender. stock was the former.

[Niquesports]

Stockton made 6 all defensive teams, pretty elite IMo

How many of them were first team First Team is elite IMO