Mike Fine: Isiah Thomas' infamy lives on

When he was growing up in the poor part of town, Isiah Thomas had a drive that was uncommon in so many of his peers. Like many kids on Chicago's West Side, he was heavily into basketball and saw a way to make it work, and he did just that, earning himself a free ride playing two seasons for Bobby Knight at Indiana University, where he led the Hoosiers to a national title in 1981 and was named the outstanding player of the tournament. He became the second pick, behind DePaul's Mark Aguirre, in the 1981 NBA draft.

Thomas was a money player, hard-nosed, gritty and totally fearless. Once, in a game against Utah, he drove into the lane, knowing that one of the league's all-time toughest players, Karl Malone, was waiting for him. Malone caught him with an elbow, opening up a gash that required 40 stitches to close. Thomas kept playing.