Isaiah Thomas has blossomed into one of the NBA’s most exciting players this season.
The Boston Celtics All-Star is second in the league in scoring — averaging 29.5 points per game — and has led the C’s to one of the best records in the Eastern Conference.
Thomas’ success has garnered him national attention, but one high-profile athlete has been best buds with IT long before he became the “King in the Fourth.”
Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather is a good friend of Thomas’, and has often been seen sitting courtside at Celtics games. Thomas told Bill Simmons on Monday that the two became friends when Thomas was just breaking into the NBA.
“That’s my guy,” Thomas told Simmons. “Close friend of mine. I met him, I think it was a year before I went out for the draft. I went to go watch him work out in Las Vegas at his boxing gym. He was a fan of basketball, so he knew who I was. We met through mutual people, and it was all she wrote after that.”
Mayweather is one of the greatest boxers of all time, as his 49-0 career record speaks for itself. Thomas explained that surrounding himself with legendary athletes has provided great motivation.
“We support each other, he’s a good friend of mine, a mentor that gives me advice on how to be great,” Thomas said. “So, like, even meeting like Tom Brady and sitting down with Kobe Bryant, those (are the) type of guys I want to be around, because I want to be great and learn from those guys.”
Given their close friendship, maybe Thomas can help get the ball rolling on the potential super fight between Mayweather and UFC star Conor McGregor.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
