Indiana Legend Isiah Thomas Offers Words of Wisdom to Hoosier Roster

Not only did Hoosier great Isiah Thomas address the crowd at Hoosier Hysteria, but he also spoke to the team to offer them advice as the Mike Woodson era begins in Bloomington.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Isiah Thomas remembers the last time Mike Woodson took off his Indiana jersey. 

The Hoosiers were playing in Kentucky and lost to Purdue to end their season.

"I watched 42 and 41, Butch Carter and Mike Woodson, take off their IU jerseys for the last time," Thomas said at Hoosier Hysteria on Saturday. "I was so hurt that day because I felt like I hadn't given enough to bring this man the championship he deserved at Indiana University.

"It hurt me so deep that I vowed I would never let my teammates or you fans down again at Indiana University."

The very next year, Thomas helped the Hoosiers win a title in 1981. But Thomas said the best team he played on was in 1980 with Woodson.

The story Thomas told to the crowd at Hoosier Hysteria was similar to what he told the 17 Indiana players before the event kicked off.

Thomas' words to the Hoosiers meant a lot, and they soaked in every sentence he spoke.

"We spoke with him this morning. It was just a special moment just because we know how close him and coach Woodson are, and everything that he said we could just feel the love that he has for Indiana University that wants that to carry over to the team," freshman Tamar Bates said.

Xavier Johnson, a transfer from Pittsburgh, said while Thomas was speaking with the team in the locker room, it was kind of a surreal moment and he thought "wow, he's talking to us and giving us pointers."

For Johnson, who hopes to assume the starting point guard role on this Indiana team, he took a lot away from what Thomas had to say.

"I mean, he's a GOAT, so you know, he's one person I look to play like. He did a lot here," Johnson said.

Thomas also made sure to talk about more than basketball with the Indiana roster.

He said that every single player who played for Bob Knight graduated college at some point in their life.

"All 17 of you," Thomas started. "I left early, I came back and I graduated. Some of you may leave early, but you gotta come back and get that piece of paper."

"I locked in the entire time because he's someone that has done it at every level," Bates said. "Everything that he said, I'm going to take it and register it and use it because he's got a lot of knowledge for us, especially me being a freshman, knowing that he was in the same position that I am awhile back. It means a lot, everything that he said.'

Thomas ended his speech to the fans by saying that the journey Woodson is about to begin at Indiana will have some ups and downs, highs and lows, but Thomas is a big believer in Woodson.

"What you're gonna be a special part of, is saying you were at school when the journey started, and hopefully some of you will still be in school when the journey ends with a National Championship," Thomas said. "There is no fan base in the history of college basketball better than Hoosier Nation, so you have a responsibility to stand up, show up, show out, be here every single day. Let it be known Hoosier Nation is in the house."

Thomas' opening story about watching Woodson take off his cream and crimson jersey for the final time and how it hurt him, that was the biggest message Indiana's players took away from the basketball icon.

That it's about playing for your teammates.

"Just about what it takes to win, really. We have to be together," Bates said. "Everything that we do, out there on floor or off the floor, just how we treat each other, the time we spend together. You know, just the sharing and caring of one another is what really will win us some games.

"One thing I took away from it," Johnson said of Thomas' speech, "It's not the most talented team that wins the game. It's the team that's mostly together that wins a lot of games. That's one thing we took away and that's one thing we gonna keep going."

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