The history of the NBA is full of players who failed to live up to their pre-draft or rookie-season hype and achieve their true potential. While many such cases are a result of injuries, acquiring bad habits on losing teams, and a lack of the inner drive which conversely all greats have, there are some rare instances that defy common sense and are related to a lack of ambition, which not a single fan will forgive. One of those players who falls in this category unfortunately is Tim Thomas. Let’s check out his story. What up everybody my name is Stefan and this is Heat Check. Let’s get into it. Such was his dominance in High School in 1996 that he was a McDonald’s All-American and even legitimately toyed with the idea of heading directly to the pros. In the end, however, he went to Villanova, with performances there in the 97 season resulting in him being selected seventh by the New Jersey Nets, though they traded him to the Sixers. In his rookie year, next to Allen Iverson, he had solid averages of 11.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in just 23 minutes per game. However, what was really striking was his 3-point shot, that is, his 36.3% from deep. And in that period, it was not that common for a player of his build to have such accuracy. Needless to say, many felt Thomas was the next sure thing. That, however, turned out to be false as a huge sophomore slump (7.2 points, 2.5 rebounds per game and 30.9% from deep) forced the Sixers’ hand, and he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. It was during the 1999/00 season for George Karl’s group where the forward once again showed many flashes of his potential, with 11.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, accompanied by 34.6% from deep. He finished runner up in the 6th man of the year race and all of that was a clear reason for the Bucks to make him their free agency priority. They signed him to a whopping 67 million dollar contract. But he failed to live up to those high expectations. Though his further stint in Wisconsin wasn’t bad statistically - 13 points per game from 2000/01 to 2003/04, coupled with 4.5 boards per game in that period, and, perhaps most eye-catching, almost 37% from deep – Bucks management weren’t happy, even though the early 2000s, especially 2001, are considered a bright spot in the franchise’s history when they made it all the way to game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals against Allen Iverson and the sixers. His teammates seemed annoyed with his lack of work ethic. Years after this period, Ray Allen said that Thomas could have been the league’s best player if he wanted to. At best, that is a backhanded compliment. At worst, it gives huge credibility to all those who claim to this day that Thomas lacked the ambition to achieve his unquestionable talent. Thomas, who was with the Knicks at the time, wasn’t all that happy with Allen’s stand. He fired back saying he'd like to "choke" Allen the next time he sees him. He added that Ray, Sam Cassell, and Glenn Robinson failed in the clutch during the playoffs, accusing Cassell of having been jealous of his $67-million contract. Cassell however, fired back, saying, "Tim Thomas is about excuses . . . He said I didn't show? They traded me, they traded Ray, they traded Big Dog [Robinson], and Tim Thomas still wasn't the man on that team. Michael Redd became the man there. Right now, he's not a good basketball player." Allen, too, expanded his criticism of Thomas, saying, "Tim was getting paid $10 million a year and he's only averaging [14.1] points a game. That's not good enough. I think he got in the New York media and he tried to make excuses for everything he didn't do right." Thomas’ stay with Knicks was somewhat uninspiring, which was also the case when he ended up with the Bulls. It was as though everyone had given up on him. Then, an unexpected big break. in 06 the Phoenix Suns needed big-man help in the Playoffs when Amare Stoudemire went down with an injury and they signed Thomas after he’d been released from Chicago. Many scoffed at the idea. How quick they were to change their minds. His performances in that postseason, especially against the Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers in Round 1, reminded everyone what the forward was capable of. In the seven-game victory, Thomas averaged 15.6 points and made 47.1% of his three-pointers. In Game 1, he had 22 points (as many as Kobe) and 15 rebounds. And was being praised afterwards as the key factor in the game. Game 6, however, was perhaps his ultimate “This is what I do” party. Not only did he have another double-double - 21 points and 10 rebounds - but also it was his three-pointer with 6.3 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game to OT, in which Phoenix won, 126-118.

• published: 06 Oct 2020
• views: 521749