Inside The Huskies

Husky Great Isaiah Thomas Not Ready to Retire, Will Work Out for NBA Teams

The former UW guard will audition for multiple franchises in Las Vegas.

Dan Raley

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If the game of basketball doesn't know by now, it's going to take a lot to make Isaiah Thomas unlace his sneakers, pull up a rocking chair and sip a glass of lemonade.

Quite possibly the most tireless and competitive University of Washington basketball player in recent decades turned NBA success story, Thomas will take part in a private workout in Las Vegas that will draw watchful eyes from multiple pro teams, according to none other than Jamal Crawford.

The 5-foot-9 Thomas, 34, is a two-time All-Star who played for 10 teams spread out over 11 NBA seasons, but hasn't appeared in a game since 2022, when had a brief stay with the Charlotte Hornets.

Most recently, the former Husky from Tacoma, Washington, was spotted running the floor at the UW with aspiring local players, looking quick, confident and in shape.

Thomas has a lot of basketball miles on his body, playing in 550 games, though just 12, 40, 3 and 44 in his four most recent seasons after injuring his hip and requiring surgery.

The competitive little lefty remains one of the illustrious players in Husky basketball history, with his No. 2 retired and hanging from the Alaska Airlines Arena rafters, alongside taken-out-of-service numbers for Brandon Roy (3) and Bob Houbregs (25). 

This past year, Thomas, in his inactive state, showed up with his kids as a spectator at Husky football and basketball games. 

Obviously, he's still not ready to call it a playing career, not willing to take his ball and go home.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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