Inside The Huskies

Isaiah Thomas Signs with Charlotte, Joins 10th NBA Franchise

There just is no quit in the former University of Washington playmaker.

Dan Raley

Isaiah Thomas is not done yet.

He has nothing left to prove as a basketball player.

But he's not finished with the NBA.

On Wednesday, the former University of Washington guard emerged from the NBA G League to sign a 10-day contract with the Charlotte Hornets — joining his 10th franchise, the third most by any player in league history.

Now in his 11th season in the big show, the 5-foot-9 Thomas continues to pursue the game that he loves, still finding that it loves him back.

From an All-Star selection, the gritty little left-hander originally from Tacoma, Washington, continues to play even after having hip problems and surgery that would have put most of his peers into retirement.

Not Thomas.

He goes to Charlotte after playing three games for the Grand Rapids Gold in Michigan and averaging an eye-opening 41.3 points per outing. 

The Hornets are his third NBA team this season following previous 10-day stops with the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.

King for a Day(s) :: Kelly L Cox/USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Thomas began his NBA career in Sacramento.

Sun Shine :: Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Thomas played next in Phoenix.

Little Big Man :: Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Thomas had his most success in Boston.

Brief Stop :: David Richard/USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Thomas played in Cleveland, too.

L.A. Glitz :: Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Thomas has twice played for the Lakers.

A Choice Nugget :: Craig Mitchelldyer/USA TODAY Sports

IT got know DeMarcus Cousins' chest while with Denver.

Capital Offense :: Dale Zaniro/USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Thomas played in DC in a cool uniform.

Comeback City :: Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports

After an injury layoff, Isaiah Thomas played in New Orleans.

Thomas maintains he has nothing to prove as a basketball player, only that he wants to go out on his own terms whenever that day comes. 

"At times, this sh*t be hard as hell to stay positive and to keep going," he posted on Twitter. "But if you believe in something and want it that bad, you’ll do whatever it takes! So there ain’t no tappin' out and giving up."

He joins a Charlotte team that has lost 11 of its past 13 outings and desperately needs his leadership and moxie. Rather than slowing down, he just seems to be getting better, smarter and more determined as a basketball player. 

Thomas was not too proud to go to the G League and set an example for all those players trying to move up to the NBA.

Here's a short recap of who Isaiah Thomas is as the tireless NBA veteran:

He's scored 9,574 career points, grabbed 1,300 rebounds and dished out 2,614 assists.

How's that for a triple-double.

He's appeared in 533 NBA games and started 362 of them.

He has a career scoring average of 18 points per game.

In recent weeks, Thomas, never one to forget the Northwest and his roots, has mused about former Husky guard Brandon Roy's way too short NBA career derailed by bad knees and the UW raising his jersey number to the rafters in retirement.

So on March 2, as he prepares to pull on a Hornets uniform, he adds Charlotte to his personal NBA itinerary of playing for the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans and the Mavericks.

Clearly, Isaiah Thomas is not anywhere close to calling it a career.

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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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