Here’s a secret: Before NBA players were NBA players, they were NBA fans. Some had favorite teams, and others cheered for particular players. But they all enjoyed professional basketball as outsiders in some form.
Sacramento Kings guard Isaiah Thomas‘ dad is famously a Lakers fan – naming his son Isaiah because he lost a bet on the 1989 NBA Finals, when Isaiah Thomas’ Pistons beat the Lakers.
And the Kings had a real rivalry with the Lakers while Thomas was growing up. The Lakers eliminated Sacramento from the playoffs in 2000, 2001 and 2002 – three of the series going the maximum length, including the 2002 conference finals.
If you’re unsure where Thomas’ allegiances fell, wonder no more.
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