By PAUL MAURICE GAY
IU Diversity Sports Media Institute

NBA legend Isiah Thomas remembers the days when his next meal wasn’t certain. Now that he’s achieved success, he works to help youth living in the same environment of poverty and violence. Thomas has lived on both sides of the spectrum, so the connection and concern isn’t just a random act of kindness.

“You get knocked down so much and the odds may be stacked against you when you’re poor, but you find hope and perseverance."  Thomas went on to say that those two attributes define him the most.

He grew up in a rough neighborhood on the west side of Chicago, where a successful life is not expected of young African-American males. Thomas was the youngest of nine children in a household with no father figure and said it was his determination to overcome that outweighed the odds.

Some people wake up in the morning focused on school or church, but for Thomas the daily focus was on food, since his mother couldn’t afford to feed all of his siblings. Thomas said that as a young boy, he would always carry around a basketball, as if it were attached to him.  He would join local basketball teams in his area, hoping that there would be food provided before or after practice.  This was when he developed a love for the game of basketball.

His determination to attend a good school and play basketball caused him to take desperate measures by taking a 90-minute bus ride to and from school every day. He attended St. Joseph High School in the suburbs of Illinois, far from his home in the ghetto.  After graduating, he attended Indiana University where he led the basketball team to the 1981 NCAA National Championship his sophomore year.

In the years following, he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons who signed him to a four-year $1.6 million contract. He led the team to two back-to-back championships. He was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Even though his career seemed to be going well, there were some failures.

"The game breaks your heart sometimes," Thomas said.

He spent time reminiscing on the legendary game where he squared off against the Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics in the seventh game of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals. In the waning seconds of the game, Thomas threw an infamous inbound pass which was intercepted by Bird who gave the assist to Dennis Johnson for the buzzer-beater winning shot.

"I was devastated. I was wiped out," Thomas said.

Thomas considered that point in time as a moment when his love for the game was tarnished.

Thomas moved on to a coaching career at the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks where he was also a general manager. After he left his coaching position in the NBA he was hired at Florida International University where he continues to coach today. There he helps the young talent achieve their goals, not just in basketball but in life as well.

"I just give back," Thomas said. "I give of myself  and I give of my time."