The strongest person in Ross s mind is Thomas, who is both point guards.

On June 3, in the long history of the NBA, countless legends emerged in the position of point guards, and Isaiah Thomas is undoubtedly one of the most dazzling existences. As a junior, Derek Ross once publicly stated that Thomas was the strongest point guard in his mind, and this evaluation was not accidental. Thomas not only conquered fans with his gorgeous style, but also established his historical position with unparalleled achievements - he led the Detroit Pistons to win two championships and defeated three epoch-making superstars, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, in succession at his peak. Such a feat is still shocking even today.

Thomas's career began in 1981 when he was selected by the Pistons in the second place. He is only 1.85 meters tall and looks particularly thin in the NBA, but it is this body that contains amazing energy. His speed, directional ability and passing vision quickly caught the league's eye, and behind his iconic smile was a steely will. The NBA in the 1980s was called the "Black and White Battle" era. Bird's Celtics and Johnson's Lakers dominated the league, and the "Bad Boys Legion" led by Thomas broke a hole in this two-pole pattern.

The 1988 finals were the pinnacle of Thomas's career. Facing the Lakers led by Magic Johnson, he played with an injury in the sixth game, scoring 25 points in a single quarter to set a finals record, scoring 43 points, 8 assists and 6 steals in the whole game. Although the Pistons eventually lost in the tiebreak, Thomas' performance won respect from the whole world. The following year, the Pistons, who made a comeback, swept the Lakers to complete their revenge in the finals, and Thomas won his first championship trophy in his career. In 1990, they reached the top again, and this time, the rising Jordan and his Bulls fell under the iron hoof of the Pistons.

Thomas has a much greater influence on the game than the data itself. He set a precedent for "point guard commander" and elevated the organizational offense to the level of art. His no-look pass (no-view pass) and teardrop (scrolling) became unique skills that later point guards scrambled to imitate. More importantly, he redefined the survival rules of a small player—before Jordan conquered the world with his flying, Thomas proved that floor flow point guards could dominate the game as well. His control of rhythm, prediction of defense, and mobilization of teammates have all reached a state of superb level.

Derek Ross's admiration for Thomas reflects to some extent the contemporary point guard's tribute to tradition. As the youngest MVP winner, Ross' explosiveness and scoring ability even surpassed Thomas, but he never led the team to the championship. This may be the key to his admiration for Thomas - to prove his leadership on the highest stage. Thomas faced a terrifying lineup of historic opponents: the Celtics led by Bird have four Hall of Famers, the Lakers' "Show Time" dynasty has Jabbar and Worthy, and Jordan's Bulls even kicked off the dynasty later. Thomas's championship value is self-evident in such an environment.

It is worth mentioning that Thomas' influence continues to off-field. As chairman of the NBA Players Union, he promoted the reform of the free agent system and salary cap, fundamentally changing the league's ecology. After retiring, he once again proved his basketball wisdom as a team manager, leading the Raptors from expanding their team to a playoff regular. This all-round success makes his legendary color stronger.

When we put Thomas in the historical coordinate system, we will find that his greatness lies not only in the two rings, but also in the fact that he subverts people's perception of basketball. In the NBA, which emphasizes personal heroism, he proves the philosophy of victory that team first; in an era of praise for scoring, he demonstrates the artistic value of passing; in the league dominated by giants, he writes the myth of the small counterattack. This is the deep reason why Ross and other senior point guards worship him - the path opened by Thomas has allowed latecomers to see infinite possibilities.

Looking back at those glorious years, the figure of the smiling assassin is still clear. He used his agile dribble to cross the steel jungle, tore the iron wall with his precise pass, and faced all doubts with a stubborn smile. In that era without social media, Thomas conquered the world with the purest basketball language. Perhaps as Ross said, the criterion for measuring greatness is never data, but the marks engraved in the torrent of the times - and Thomas's name has long been engraved in the most dazzling position of the Basketball Temple.