It has been a big week for Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas and New England sports heroes. First, future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce spent some time with Thomas and declared that the 5-foot-9 star has "taken the torch." Then, following the Patriots' Super Bowl victory, he and Tom Brady -- a friend ever since the Kevin Durant recruiting session last summer -- had a nice little correspondence, starting of course with Thomas' congratulations.
From the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach:
"He said it's not over 'til it's over," Thomas said Tuesday night. "He was just proud of his teammates. That's what he texted back, that he was proud of his team and the city. Nobody gave up and they just kept fighting. And he was like, 'It's your turn next.' So now he's putting the pressure on us, but hopefully we can make something happen."
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Thomas has taken the NBA by storm this season with his dominant fourth-quarter performances. He said when Brady led the Patriots on their stirring 25-point comeback, he heard people say Brady was taking a page from his book of late-game heroics.
"Nah, I need to take a page from his," Thomas said, smiling. "He's got five rings. It was unbelievable. That's the greatest quarterback, football player that's ever been. I was speechless. What they did to turn that whole game around and for it to happen in the Super Bowl says a lot."
Last March, a bit over a year into his Celtics tenure, Thomas said that he would like to pick Brady's brain. As Thomas has proved during the course of his remarkable career, when he says he wants something, he's probably going to get it. It's notable that he has successfully connected with superstar athletes, but that he wants to be a part of Boston sports history. His embrace of the Celtics' culture has endeared him to fans there, and with the way he has played this season, he's clearly the new face of the franchise.
As far as it being Thomas' turn next, that's a nice thought. Nobody expects Boston to seriously challenge the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers or the loaded Golden State Warriors, but it might as well aim as high as possible. That's what Thomas tends to do, anyway.
