THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 12, 1996 TAG: 9604100117
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Sports Editor
SOURCE: Bill Leffler
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
A year ago officials of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament asked longtime Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas to headline the annual Celebrity Luncheon.
``How about giving me a year to get my feet wet in my new job first?'' responded Thomas, who had purchased an interest in the newest NBA team at Toronto and was assuming the general manager's position.
True to his word, Thomas agreed to speak at the 1996 banquet last week even though it came at an inopportune time.
There were reports of a rift developing between Thomas and Toronto coach Brendan Malone, the man hired by Thomas. Reportedly Thomas did not feel the coach has been giving bench players adequate playing time.
Thomas arrived on a 10 a.m. flight and asked to speak at the outset of the program because he had to book a 1:50 flight back to Toronto to meet with the coach.
Nevertheless, he didn't pare down his speech and needed a police escort to the airport to make his flight.
The NBA officials and scouts in the Holiday Inn-Portside audience probably were aware of the Toronto situation when Thomas said he needed to get back for ``an expansion crisis.'' Most of the crowd thought Thomas was joking.
``All I can say about that is that we're in an expansion crisis,'' said Thomas. ``An expansion crisis is when you don't sleep, you don't eat and you have to explain everything you do.''
But Thomas, drawing upon ``a basketball career that has been very good to me,'' left behind a message for the PIT players.
He suggested they follow five basic fundamentals which he has applied to his own life.
``First,'' said Thomas, who led the Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990, ``you must create a dream. And then be faithful to it.
``Secondly, find yourself a teacher, a role model or a mentor. Wil Robinson (Pistons scout) was my mentor. When the Pistons were going to sign me, I told them I was from Chicago and I wanted to play in Chicago. I still remember Wil's words: `You'll learn to love Detroit because the town is going to love you.'
``Next you must be true to your roots. I live with the morals I was raised with. I was raised on the west side of Chicago, the side nobody talks about or goes to. I had seven brothers and two sisters and I was No. 9. My mother was a single parent and if she was raising kids today, she probably would be arrested for child abuse. But let me say I wish my mom could have raised all of you.
``Fourth, you must be a team player. But you must still be yourself. Find a balance.
``Fifth, play with your head and heart but shoot from your soul. Trust your instincts.''
Robinson, a Pistons scout attending the PIT for the 21st time, introduced Thomas at the luncheon.
``Isiah led his high school team to the state championship in Chicago,'' said Robinson. ``He led Indiana to an NCAA championship. In six of his 12 years at Detroit, the Pistons were in the hunt and won two titles in a row.
``On my finger I wear a $7,500 NBA ring. It was awarded to me on the strength of Isiah Thomas.'' by CNB