Isaiah Thomas was fighting against the odds when he made it into the NBA. He was undersized and many thought he was just a guy who could score.

Well, they weren’t telling any stories about him being a scorer, but plenty underestimated his resolve to become a prominent player in the NBA. When Thomas landed with the Boston Celtics, he started to ascend to one of the top players in the NBA, averaging 28.9 points per game in his first season. And just when the postseason was getting ready to crank up, Thomas got some tough news.

Thomas’ sister, Chyna Thomas, died in a single-car accident, two weeks before she was to
turn 23-years-old. On her birthday, May 2, 2017, Thomas went out and played against the
Washington Wizards. Thomas would finish the game with 53 points in a 129-119 playoff win
over the Wizards. What a performance on what had to be a tough day for Thomas.