Isaiah Thomas Interview: On Recruiting Free Agents, Al Horford and Celtics Youth

Isaiah Thomas is more than just the Boston Celtics’ starting point guard and an Eastern Conference All-Star.

He’s also a free-agent recruiter extraordinaire—and an enthusiastic one, at that.

Thomas led Boston’s ultimately unsuccessful albeit still impressive courtship of Kevin Durant, and he technically started selling Al Horford on the Celtics way over the All-Star break. That’s just who he is—fiercely loyal to his current team and, most importantly, charismatic enough to pique the attention of his peers.

Bleacher Report caught up with Thomas by phone to chat about his busy summer, which includes headlining Slim Jim’s Settle the Beef initiative, a campaign that dedicates itself to reconciling all types of divisive issues, basketball-related or not. And don’t worry: We had time to ask about how Jae Crowder is doing now that Durant knows so many of Boston’s defensive secrets.

Bleacher Report: Multiple reports said you were a big part of the Celtics’ free-agent recruiting contingent. What’s it like to be an available NBA talent being sold on Boston by Isaiah Thomas? Are you doing anything specific before and after the meetings? During the meetings?

Isaiah Thomas: Not really. Just try to build a relationship with whomever you’re recruiting and be as genuine as possible. In college, when guys would come to visit, coaches would want me to be the host. I was the guy, I guess, who people always seemed to like and wanted to be around. That’s just my personality. I don’t have to try being nothing I’m not. I’m just being myself and telling players what’s real.

B/R: This summer, the Celtics were linked to a bunch of big names—players who were hearing tons of noise from different people. As one player talking to another, is it difficult to find a balance between being an aggressive recruiter and respecting what is probably a difficult/busy time for some guys?

Thomas: It is tough. You’ve been in that situation, whether it be high school, college or the NBA, and sometimes you just want to be left alone. I don’t try to push it too much. I say my stuff here and there. At the end of the day, it’s about trying to build that relationship and talk to that person without always bringing up what your main goal is: to get that person on your team or to recruit that guy. …

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