Isiah Thomas Critiques LeBron James’ Shirtless Pre-Game Routine

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Former Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas expressed strong criticism of LeBron James after the Los Angeles Lakers player warmed up shirtless before their game against the Houston Rockets on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena.

During an NBA TV broadcast, Thomas said, “I just totally, 100 percent object to this. If I was the GM, the coach, I would never let one of my players walk out on the floor looking like this. I mean, we are [the] professional NBA league. We ain’t Summer League. We ain’t at the YMCA.”

Footage of the warm-up showcased James wearing grey sweatpants with no shirt as he prepared for the game. Thomas, who led the Pistons to two NBA championships during his 13-year career, believes such displays are a sign of a diminishing sense of professionalism in the league.

“I just think the professionalism in our NBA league has diminished so much,” Thomas continued. “Look, I like LeBron, I’m a fan of his, so forth and so on. But to walk out on the floor before a game with no shirt on and shoot, I mean, c’mon man. Where are we at? What are we doing? Where are we at? Adam Silver, if you want to fine somebody, fine that. Put a fine on that.”

Thomas’ comments come as the NBA sees a wave of scrutiny from former players concerning the behavior of today’s stars. While he expressed his admiration for James, he deemed this particular choice as unacceptable for someone of James’ stature.

James was gearing up for his 12th game back after missing seven due to a groin injury. He is currently in his 22nd season in the league, a tenure that has seen him achieve immense success and fame.

The criticism from Thomas adds to his history of being in the spotlight; 18 years ago, he faced allegations of sexual harassment while coaching the New York Knicks, which he denied. The lawsuit from former Knicks employee Anucha Browne Sanders was settled and resulted in an $11.6 million cost to Madison Square Garden.

As discussions around player conduct continue to unfold, this incident will likely contribute further to the ongoing debate about professionalism in modern sports.