Picture Me Rollin'
Slam|June 2017

Finding motivation has never been difficult for ISAIAH THOMAS. Now, as the face of one of the League’s most storied franchises, the Celtics PG is the NBA’s most unlikely superstar and on the cusp of joining the list of all-time basketball icons in the city of Boston.

Peter Walsh
Picture Me Rollin'

Isaiah Thomas was never supposed to be here.

He was never supposed to make it out of Tacoma, WA. Never supposed to be on the cover of SLAM Magazine. And sure as hell never supposed to be one of the NBA’s most feared scorers. 

Last pick in the draft? He’ll be lucky to make the team. Traded by the Kings? Not even one of the worst franchises in sports wants him. Traded in a last-minute deadline deal between the Suns and Celtics? Nah, he’ll spend his career as a journeyman.

Good thing Isaiah spends more time putting in work than listening to critics. Because today he’s a two-time NBA All-Star, the best fourth-quarter scorer in the League, a legit MVP candidate and the face of the Boston Celtics.

What are y’all gonna say now?

IT’S AN UNSEASONABLY warm late February day in Boston when Isaiah Thomas strolls into the gym at Cambridge, MA’s Rindge and Latin School rocking a full Nike Tech Fleece sweatsuit and a pair of Air Max 90s. After showing off the cover of a local Boston magazine he was featured on recently, Isaiah and his agency rep joke, “We’re leveling up today!” before he begins to change into his Celtics road uniform and matching green-and-black Kobe A.D. sneakers.

As he’s changing, a small crowd trickles in. First, a few members of the school’s faculty. Then, Officer Michael Daniliuk of the Cambridge PD enters, hoping to get a minute to thank Isaiah for the charitable efforts he and his wife Kayla made after a massive December fire displaced 125 East Cambridge residents.

Bu hikaye Slam dergisinin June 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Slam dergisinin June 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

SLAM DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
The SUMMER THAT WASN'T
Slam

The SUMMER THAT WASN'T

Playground entry fences chain locked. Rims removed. Leagues canceled. Summer basketball just stopped in 2020. And as its effects extended beyond the blacktop, we were reminded why it's so important.

time-read
8 dak  |
June - July 2021
METAMORPHOSIS
Slam

METAMORPHOSIS

The sport of basketball speaks to so many people in so many ways. Dan Peterson, the founder of Project Backboard, has teamed up with artists to use the beauty of the sport to turn local courts into works of art that are accessible to all.

time-read
4 dak  |
June - July 2021
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S Fire
Slam

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S Fire

For former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, the last three years have had their ups and downs. Now that he and the Phoenix Suns are back on the way up, DA wants everyone to know that's where they're planning to stay.

time-read
10+ dak  |
June - July 2021
Now What?
Slam

Now What?

As North Carolina rapper J. Cole transitioned from up-and-comer to full-blown vet, he came to a realization: staying sharp and fighting off complacency ain't easy. Inspired by his love for basketball and his desire to remain on top of the game, the 36-year-old has been treating music like a competitive sport while he readies his next project: The Off-Season.

time-read
10+ dak  |
June - July 2021
ONE STEP AT A Time
Slam

ONE STEP AT A Time

NBA and G League vet Jeremy Lin and Loyola Marymount's Anthony Yu speak candidly about the ups and downs of being Asian American in the basketball world.

time-read
9 dak  |
June - July 2021
THE GARDEN Blooms
Slam

THE GARDEN Blooms

The Knicks are back. Deadass, they're back. A return to the tough, gritty, resilient style that made the teams of the past so dominant has allowed Saba Julius Randle and RJ Barrett and the Knicks an opportunity to compete for homecourt advantage in the 2021 playoffs. Facts.

time-read
10 dak  |
June - July 2021
CITIZEN OF THE World
Slam

CITIZEN OF THE World

Congolese native Yannick Nzosa played for professional teams in Italy and Spain before he turned 17. Now that his name is moving up the 2022 pre-draft boards, the former soccer player has one thing front and center in his mind—succeeding for his family back home.

time-read
8 dak  |
June - July 2021
STRONG Island
Slam

STRONG Island

Mental fortitude and physical toughness are what's helped Long Island's Arella Guirantes make it all the way to the W.

time-read
3 dak  |
June - July 2021
KICK IN THE Door
Slam

KICK IN THE Door

The WNBA, now in its 25th season, is the longest-running women's sports league ever. SLAM sat down with four of the most influential players of all time Diana Taurasi, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Sue Bird to discuss their part in making the League the force it is today.

time-read
10+ dak  |
June - July 2021
Can't YOU SEE
Slam

Can't YOU SEE

It ain't hard to tell that supernatural vision has established Nuggets star Nikola Jokic as a clear candidate for the 2021 MVP Award.

time-read
8 dak  |
June - July 2021