Isiah Thomas On How Larry Bird And Magic Johnson Helped Save The NBA

Once, the NBA was very far from being the big deal it is today in terms of capturing the global hearts and minds of sports — never mind the advertising dollars that keep it afloat. Then a Hick From French Lick teamed with a Magic man from Michigan to save it.

The story of how Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird and lifelong friend and rival Earvin “Magic” Johnson managed to launch interest in the NBA in the 1980s to new heights is a classic one. And one best told by someone who was in the thick of it all when it was happening.

Such was the case on a recent episode of a Showtime Basketball podcast that had Hall of Fame Detroit Pistons point guard Isiah Thomas on the pod to share his memories of that pivotal era for the league, and how two enemies on the hardwood leveraged their game to make the NBA what it is today.