Pistons Legend Comes to Defense of Previous Generations

Pistons legend Isiah Thomas speaks of players of previous generations.

February 19, 2022; Cleveland, OH, USA; NBA great Isiah Thomas during the Slam Dunk Contest during the 2022 NBA All-Star Saturday Night at Rocket Mortgage Field House. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

During his prime years with the Detroit Pistons, Isiah Thomas played in one of the toughest decades of basketball. The 1980s had no shortage of star power, which led to the Hall of Fame guard speaking up for previous generations of basketball players.

Earlier this week, a post went viral on social media of a quote from longtime NBA guard Lou Williams. He stated that if LeBron James played in 1975, he'd win 15 championships in a row. After seeing this post, Thomas took to X to share his thoughts on the subject.

As expected, Thomas stood up for the players from back in the day. He mainly stated how wrong some people have it when it comes to the athleticism of guys from previous generations.

I find it comical and laughable how some not all people think this is the first generation of basketball players that athletically could run and jump. I'm not sure he would be the best athlete in 1975
all things being equal. https://t.co/U9vsBfoHG8

— Isiah Thomas (@IsiahThomas) July 25, 2024

1975 time is a little before Thomas' time in the NBA, as he didn't enter the league until 1981. He'd go on to play 13 seasons, all with the Pistons, and win a pair of championships. The former No. 2 pick would eventually get inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.

Since his retirement, Thomas has had multiple careers in and around the league. He's spent time as a coach and GM, but now mainly serves as an analyst on TV. With his platform, he is ensuring that people today don't overlook the skill level of some of the NBA's early stars.

In 1975, amogn the top players in the league was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was an extremely skilled seven-footer is still regarded as one of the best big men ever. His career had just ended two years prior, but Wilt Chamberlain was another key name from around that time. From a skill and athleticism standpoint, these are two stars who were certainly ahead of their time.

Remembering old stars like Kareem and Wilt, Thomas has fought hard on social media to prove his point of how talented players are across all generations.