Isaiah Thomas (basketball)
The 5-foot-9 dynamo who became an MVP candidate for the Boston Celtics, embodying the heart-over-height spirit of the game.
Born 1989 (age 37)·American basketball player·Birthday: February 7·Millennials
Biography
Isaiah Thomas's career is a saga of defiance. The last pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, he was written off before he began due to his stature. But Thomas played with a combustible mix of speed, skill, and sheer audacity. His breakout came with the Boston Celtics, where he transformed into 'The King in the Fourth,' a clutch-time phenomenon who carried an entire city on his back. During the 2016-17 season, he averaged nearly 29 points per game, finished fifth in MVP voting, and led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals, all while playing through profound personal tragedy. That season stands as a monument to his will. A serious hip injury suffered during that playoff run altered his trajectory, beginning a nomadic journey across the league as he fought to reclaim his place. Thomas's legacy, however, is indelible: he proved that talent has no height requirement, delivering one of the most electrifying and emotionally charged chapters in recent NBA history.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Isaiah was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Isaiah Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Isaiah's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Averaged a career-high 28.9 points per game during the 2016-17 season with the Boston Celtics, finishing fifth in NBA MVP voting.
- Named an NBA All-Star in 2016 and 2017 while playing for the Celtics.
- Earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 2017.
- Led the Washington Huskies to the Pac-10 tournament championship in 2011.
Did You Know?
He was the final pick (60th overall) in the 2011 NBA Draft, earning him the title 'Mr. Irrelevant.'
He is named after former Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas, but his name is spelled 'Isaiah' due to a typo on his birth certificate.
He scored a career-high 52 points in a game for the Boston Celtics on December 30, 2016.
“They're going to have to live with it, because I'm coming.”
