NBA History: 25 former NBA stars you forgot dominated the league
By Cal Durrett
4) Isaiah Thomas
Former NBA point guard Isaiah Thomas has quite the roller coaster career. Thomas was the last pick in the 2011 NBA draft and while the odds were stacked against him, he not only made the Sacramento Kings' roster but he quickly carved out a role. Over his three seasons there, Thomas proved that he had what it takes to be an NBA player. He was later signed and traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he continued his strong play before being again traded, this time to the Boston Celtics, where his career took off.
In three seasons in Boston, Thomas made two all-star teams, including in the 2016–17 season, where he averaged an incredible 28.9 points per game and finished fifth in MVP voting. Unfortunately, his time at the top of the NBA was short-lived. He suffered a serious hip injury during the 2017 playoffs and was traded in the off-season to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where his career quickly took a left turn.
He lasted just 15 games in Cleveland before being dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers. After leaving Cleveland, he played for six teams in five seasons and was out of the league by the time he was 32. While it's only been two years since he last played in the NBA, his time as an elite player was incredibly short and easy to forget.