Childhood friends now teammates with Green

by **bobheckler** Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:36 pm

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2015/02/thomas_bradley_reunite

Thomas, Bradley reunite
Childhood friends now teammates with Green

Photo by: The Associated Press
SQUEEZE PLAY: Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas drives between Lakers guard Jeremy Lin and forward Ed Davis during the Celts’ loss last night.

Monday, February 23, 2015
By: Mark Murphy

LOS ANGELES — Isaiah Thomas left his first practice with the Celtics yesterday morning and immediately went on Twitter.

“It’s crazy that two guys from the same neighborhood are in the NBA & on the same team!! #253 #HillTop #Tacoma,” was his message, an obvious reference to one of his oldest friends, Celtics guard Avery Bradley.

“I’ve known Avery almost my whole life,” said Thomas, who scored 21 points before being ejected in the fourth quarter of the Celts’ 118-11 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers last night. “We played in the same AAU program. We grew up in the same neighborhood. It’s good to have a guy like that who’s not just a friend, but more like a brother. He’s had a great career so far and I look forward to work with him.”

The roots go far back. Bradley’s not sure, but believes he was in middle school when he met the older Thomas, before the latter finished high school at a prep school in Connecticut.

“He was an older guy who was the best basketball player in the area, so we looked up to him,” said Bradley.

The region has had a deceptively strong influence on the NBA, from Jason Terry and Nate Robinson down through these two new teammates. There’s a reason that the Seattle/Tacoma area has produced so many NBA players, according to Bradley.

“We all make jokes about how because it rains so much in Seattle, we’re always in the gym,” said Bradley. “It really is true. All anyone does in Seattle is play basketball.”

Thomas thus has a nice welcoming committee in his snow-encrusted new city.

Danny Ainge has made no secret of his interest in Thomas since the 2011 draft, though when given the opportunity the C’s president of basketball operations drafted the since-departed E’Twaun Moore instead. Ainge needed a combo guard instead of a point at the time, he said. Rajon Rondo was playing heavy minutes, and he didn’t believe Thomas would get the necessary playing time.

But Bradley understood that Ainge remained interested, and told Thomas.

“Danny is from the northwest (Portland), so I think he pays a little extra attention to the players up there,” said Bradley.

In truth, Thomas knew about Ainge’s interest well before he was tipped off by Bradley.

“(Bradley) always told me that Danny Ainge wanted me,” said Thomas. “I’ve heard that from him, my agent. When I signed with Phoenix he called and congratulated me, and when I signed here he was the first guy to hit me up.

“Even before I was in the draft he watched me in the Maui Invitational, and he thought I was just as good as Kemba Walker. He told me that. I’ve known he wanted me for a long time. Hopefully I’m here for a while.”

Thomas wasn’t surprised, then, when the first call he received at midnight last July 1, the opening of free agency, was from Ainge. He ultimately signed a four-year, $27 million contract with Phoenix, but Ainge’s interest finally took form.

Thomas simply had no idea how circuitous the route would be. He was on the Suns team bus, headed for the airport, when he got the news from a recent Celtic — Brandan Wright.

“It was weird. We were on the bus getting ready to head to the airport,” said Thomas. “We knew Goran (Dragic) was leaving, and he dapped everybody up and said his goodbyes. And then it hit 1 (p.m.) Phoenix time and everyone was like whoa, nobody’s leaving.

“And then Brandan Wright said, IT, you just got traded, and I was like, you’re lying,” he said. “But they came and told me, I just walked off, my mom called me and my dad, and I was like, I don’t even know what’s going on. I’m just happy to be somewhere where they love me.”

By Saturday he was in Boston, marveling at the amount of snow and watching the Celtics-Sacramento game with Ainge.

“It’s a blessing, nice,” Thomas said of his new start. “All of the things (Ainge) said you could tell were genuine. He’s wanted me since my days at Washington. I’m just surprised at how it happened — so last-minute.

“I fit in with anybody. You have a basketball and a hoop, I’ll fit in. It’s just different. I was just on a new team five months ago. It’s different, it’s tough, but at the same time guys are friendly and make it easy.”

by **Sam** Mon Feb 23, 2015 9:00 pm

I've always been up and down regarding Bradley. I won't belabor the reasons. But, whatever my opinion of his current game is, I believe that what he has to do is to expand his offensive repertoire. Specifically, he has to get a reliable move to the hoop. I can't think of a better way for him to learn that art than to practice with Isaiah Thomas. Whether scrimmaging against Isaiah or picking up tips from him, I see this acquisition as a real opportunity for Bradley to become more well-rounded. I don't expect to see a lot of them together on the floor because of their collective height challenge. But it's ironic that the most crucial part of the game, the homestretch, could well be the most likely moment to have both of their offenses on the floor, especially if Brad's going from small ball to midget ball. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if a dependable Celtics play in the clutch could be for Isaiah to penetrate and to pass off to a cutting Avery for the bucket. (Maybe wishful thinking, but it SOUNDS good.)

Sam

Childhood friends now teammates with Green

Childhood friends now teammates with Green

Re: Childhood friends now teammates with Green