Isiah Thomas is undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever to play in the NBA. He was part of the Detroit Pistons team that made its mark, something Thomas believes helped the league grow.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about how he can manage a league or even a team. After retiring in 1994, one of Thomas's investments was in a minor league, the Continental Basketball Association.
Chris Daleo was one person who witnessed it when Thomas bought into the CBA in 2001. Daleo was an assistant coach at the time with the Rockford Lightning. He clearly remembers what happened that year, mainly because it deprived him of the chance of getting the head coaching job with the Lightning.
Daleo shared some of the events that went down at that time when he spoke on the Sports for All PH podcast.
“Isiah Thomas and a couple of more guys said they were really excited about what is going on, and then [they said] all you coaches are fired. Have a nice day, goodbye,” Daleo shared when he spoke on the Sports for All PH podcast.
It was shocking news for Daleo, something he has not forgotten to this day. It is also why he is not fond of Thomas, admitting he is not a fan.
“I couldn’t believe it, just like that… Isiah Thomas. So I’m not a fan; never talked to me, never gave me an opportunity… nothing. So that was it," he added.
CBA goes bankrupt
Left without a job, Daleo moved on.
He eventually became the athletic director for Barat College after that forgettable episode in the CBA. But to his surprise, he got a call from the owner of the Rockford Lightning, something he did not expect.
“The owner of Rockford calls me up. He says, ‘Hey, Isiah Thomas bankrupted the league, I am the new owner again, I’m back, I want you to be my coach,'” the veteran coach said.
Thomas has yet to succeed as an executive
Although Thomas never found success in his business ventures or front office job positions, it cannot be denied that he was an icon of professional basketball when he was still actively playing.
Zeke was part of the legendary Pistons team that made its mark in the 80s. Most recall the Bad Boy era when many people hated the Pistons for their devious acts and rugged playing style. Regardless, Thomas and the Pistons hardly cared and won back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990.
That era undoubtedly ranked the Pistons up there alongside the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Thomas made a good point when he singled out how the Pistons team put fans in the stands, especially when they faced both teams.
"We were the first team to start putting 50-60,000 thousand people in an arena. The highest-rated games of the ’80s were the Pistons vs. the Celtics, The Pistons vs. The Lakers, and the Pistons vs. The Bulls. All those highest-rated games have one thing in common – the Pistons," the 12-time All-Star pointed out.
Like him or not, Thomas made his mark in the NBA. He has yet to find the same success on the management level. But given his resilience, the 62-year-old will likely keep trying until he figures out the right success formula.