Tim Hardaway names Pistons' Isiah Thomas GOAT of Chicago over Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose

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Legends have come and left in the city of Chicago. Tim Hardaway described his GOAT of Chicago on the Come Talk 2 Me Podcast and why his choice is former Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas.

“They say Derrick Rose now, they say Dwyane (Wade), even though Dwyane isn't from Chicago, he's from the outskirts of Chicago but I think you have to pick Isiah Thomas because of how everybody was following him,” Hardaway said. “There wasn't any AAU but he was being followed like he was God in Chicago.

“Even though Mark Aguirre was doing all this stuff, Isiah Thomas was the man. He was the GOAT, he was the guy that everybody looked up to and wanted to see play. He was a monster out there on the court man.”

Thomas is one of the most underappreciated players in NBA history. A two-time champion, 1989-90 Finals MVP, five-time All-NBA, and a Hall-of-Famer round up an amazing career. He led one of the most notorious teams in the NBA, the Bad Boy Pistons. Although they were known for good or for bad reasons, they dominated. Thomas is one most hated players in the league, despite their success. However, the hate didn’t distract Hardaway from seeing how masterful Thomas was at his craft. 

Tim Hardaway reveals the moment he knew Isiah Thomas was the GOAT of Chicago.

In the podcast, Hardaway recalled his grammar school coach took him out of school to the amphitheater in Chicago. He took him to St. Joe’s High School in Westchester, Illinois, where Thomas was playing. Hardaway was told to watch No. 11, who was Thomas. He was told that’s how basketball is played.

“That's when I started following Isiah from that point on I'd been following him his whole career,” Hardaway said. “I watched him play at Indiana almost every game, couldn't watch always while he was in Detroit but followed him with the Pistons. That was my idol, my basketball idol.”

Hardaway came into the league as the Pistons won back-to-back titles. As Thomas left the league and Hardaway entered, he made his mark in the NBA. He debuted the “killer crossover” which garnered traction to his skill as a ball-handler. Hardaway was a five-time all-star and All-NBA selection. His scoring and unselfish play catapulted him into the elite point guard conversation.

While he never won a championship, Hardaway found inspiration from the Pistons legend throughout his career. Thomas set the blueprint for Chicago guards to make an impact in the NBA.

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