John Salley on why he thinks that Isiah Thomas is so disrespected

[MortSahlfan]

Is it me or are the old time players getting too old for all this talk. I’m over that era personally. I feel like they’re desperate to keep people talking about their era. Like nobody cares about the Isiah Thomas situation that happened 30+ years ago. I’m 32 so maybe it’s an age thing since I didn’t watch them play. I think they paved the way for many spoiled overpaid athletes now including sir Porter who just signed an extension only guaranteed one year. I’m over the stories of the past.

You're absolutely right............it's just you.

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Oh, you didn't actually see them play.

[DetroitSho]

Is it me or are the old time players getting too old for all this talk. I’m over that era personally. I feel like they’re desperate to keep people talking about their era. Like nobody cares about the Isiah Thomas situation that happened 30+ years ago. I’m 32 so maybe it’s an age thing since I didn’t watch them play. I think they paved the way for many spoiled overpaid athletes now including sir Porter who just signed an extension only guaranteed one year. I’m over the stories of the past.

You're absolutely right............it's just you.

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Oh, you didn't actually see them play.

You were actually responding to Spider, right?

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[Drwho17]

Isiah's reputation is as a snake, not just from the MJ hate, there is a reason Davidson got him away from the Pistons org (announcing his onw promotion), there is a reason Thomas get the boot from the Raptors (attempted to overthrow owners), there is a reason Other highlights, destroying D-league, getting fired by Indiana, got the boot from the NYK's for sexual harrasment, got the boot from FIU for being garbage, now he's sucking up to another league executive and the Phoenix org is creeking.

[Laimbeer]

He's disliked, but I don't think he's disrespected. He's consistently mentioned among the greatest point guards of all-time. He was the ring leader of a team that knocked off Jordan, Bird, and Magic at one time or another with a despised style of play. I harbor more ill will toward Magic for turning on one of his best friends for business reasons than Jordan. Jordan's disdain was from competition. He was a whiney ass about getting his rear kicked, but at least it was rooted in rivalry.

[Uncle Mxy]

The Bad Boys "despised style of play" is disrespected, though.
Even when we won, we were the Rodney Dangerfield of sports.

[NYPiston]

The Bad Boys "despised style of play" is disrespected, though.
Even when we won, we were the Rodney Dangerfield of sports.

100%.

Isiah was universally disliked even 30+ years ago because of The Bad Boys style of play. I do think his peers know how good he and those teams were but I think general media fans/media tend to disrespect Isiah and the Bad Boys teams because they were "bad for basketball".
I don't think Isiah was disrespected by his peers but I do think he was disliked which is funny because he was universally liked in the mid 80s and prior because of his joyful demeanor, big smile etc. but once the Pistons became good and started becoming the villains, so did Isiah and they kind of had to be in the Glamour Era of Magic, Bird and Jordan and they beat all those suckers as a result, should have beat Bird and Magic multiple times but I digress.

[MortSahlfan]

Isiah was voted unanimously to represent the players and one of his big accomplishments was reducing the agent's fee by at least 2% which is a LOT of money today. I hope they know who is responsible for that.

[Snakebites]

He's disliked, but I don't think he's disrespected. He's consistently mentioned among the greatest point guards of all-time. He was the ring leader of a team that knocked off Jordan, Bird, and Magic at one time or another with a despised style of play. I harbor more ill will toward Magic for turning on one of his best friends for business reasons than Jordan. Jordan's disdain was from competition. He was a whiney ass about getting his rear kicked, but at least it was rooted in rivalry.

I think this is accurate.

I’ve never really seen that he’s rated poorly by players.

I don’t think I’d like Isiah if I were Jordan or Bird either tbh. Isiah is still taking personal shots at them to this day.

[DetroitSho]

He's disliked, but I don't think he's disrespected. He's consistently mentioned among the greatest point guards of all-time. He was the ring leader of a team that knocked off Jordan, Bird, and Magic at one time or another with a despised style of play. I harbor more ill will toward Magic for turning on one of his best friends for business reasons than Jordan. Jordan's disdain was from competition. He was a whiney ass about getting his rear kicked, but at least it was rooted in rivalry.

I think this is accurate.

I’ve never really seen that he’s rated poorly by players.

I don’t think I’d like Isiah if I were Jordan or Bird either tbh. Isiah is still taking personal shots at them to this day.

Yeah Isiah has a whole documentary that came out while the world was stuck in the house with nothing to do but watch TV where he called Jordan an **** in front of everyone.

Wait............no.............I got that backwards. That was actually Jordan calling Isiah this, and you're talking about taking personal shots? By all means, what has Isiah said about Larry Bird? I'd be interested in hearing this. Because everytime I hear him speak he speaks glowingly about the Celtics. He actually speaks glowingly about that whole era of basketball and those that were apart of that run. So please, I'd love to hear what your basis for saying that.

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[Snakebites]

He's disliked, but I don't think he's disrespected. He's consistently mentioned among the greatest point guards of all-time. He was the ring leader of a team that knocked off Jordan, Bird, and Magic at one time or another with a despised style of play. I harbor more ill will toward Magic for turning on one of his best friends for business reasons than Jordan. Jordan's disdain was from competition. He was a whiney ass about getting his rear kicked, but at least it was rooted in rivalry.

I think this is accurate.

I’ve never really seen that he’s rated poorly by players.

I don’t think I’d like Isiah if I were Jordan or Bird either tbh. Isiah is still taking personal shots at them to this day.

Yeah Isiah has a whole documentary that came out while the world was stuck in the house with nothing to do but watch TV where he called Jordan an **** in front of everyone.

Wait............no.............I got that backwards. That was actually Jordan calling Isiah this, and you're talking about taking personal shots? By all means, what has Isiah said about Larry Bird? I'd be interested in hearing this. Because everytime I hear him speak he speaks glowingly about the Celtics. He actually speaks glowingly about that whole era of basketball and those that were apart of that run. So please, I'd love to hear what your basis for saying that.

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With Bird I actually misremembered- it was Rodman who dug up the whole “if Bird was black he’d just be another good player” thing recently. So yeah, I’ll own that one. I recalled Isiah adding fire to Rodman’s comment in that vein many years ago and got mixed up.

Jordan? Seems like they’re always going back and fourth. I remember him saying Jordan was only the fourth or fifth best player he played against. I shouldn’t have specified that as “personal” but it is a strange shot at his legacy. That precedes the last dance.

How did you feel about the walkout against the Bulls in 1991? How do you feel about it now?

[DetroitSho]

I think this is accurate.

I’ve never really seen that he’s rated poorly by players.

I don’t think I’d like Isiah if I were Jordan or Bird either tbh. Isiah is still taking personal shots at them to this day.

Yeah Isiah has a whole documentary that came out while the world was stuck in the house with nothing to do but watch TV where he called Jordan an **** in front of everyone.

Wait............no.............I got that backwards. That was actually Jordan calling Isiah this, and you're talking about taking personal shots? By all means, what has Isiah said about Larry Bird? I'd be interested in hearing this. Because everytime I hear him speak he speaks glowingly about the Celtics. He actually speaks glowingly about that whole era of basketball and those that were apart of that run. So please, I'd love to hear what your basis for saying that.

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With Bird I actually misremembered- it was Rodman who dug up the whole “if Bird was black he’d just be another good player” thing recently. So yeah, I’ll own that one. I recalled Isiah adding fire to Rodman’s comment in that vein many years ago and got mixed up.

Jordan? Seems like they’re always going back and fourth. I remember him saying Jordan was only the fourth or fifth best player he played against. I shouldn’t have specified that as “personal” but it is a strange shot at his legacy. That precedes the last dance.

How did you feel about the walkout against the Bulls in 1991? How do you feel about it now?

Your words, "Isiah is still taking personal shots at them to this day".... then you go on to talk about stuff from over 30 years ago. W in T the complete F man? PRESENT DAY, what shots is he taking?

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[Laimbeer]

"He's not God. He ain't the best player in the NBA, not to me... He's white. That's the reason he gets it the MVP award. Nobody gives Magic Johnson credit. He deserved it last year, too. I don't care. Go ahead and tell him. You'll put it in the paper anyway." - Dennis Rodman

"I think Larry is a very, very good basketball player. He's an exceptional talent. But I have to agree with Rodman. If he were black, he'd be just another good guy." = Isiah Thomas

[DetroitSho]

"He's not God. He ain't the best player in the NBA, not to me... He's white. That's the reason he gets it the MVP award. Nobody gives Magic Johnson credit. He deserved it last year, too. I don't care. Go ahead and tell him. You'll put it in the paper anyway." - Dennis Rodman

"I think Larry is a very, very good basketball player. He's an exceptional talent. But I have to agree with Rodman. If he were black, he'd be just another good guy." = Isiah Thomas

Do you have anything since maybe the turn of the century?

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[MortSahlfan]

So many off days and just found this uploaded this a few weeks ago

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