Basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas revealed on the “Come And Talk 2 Me” podcast this week that he is dealing with Bell’s palsy.
“I’ve gotten a lot of love from people who say, ‘Well, Isiah’s sick. What is he going through?’” Thomas said on the show hosted by former NBA point guard and ESPN broadcaster Marc Jackson and his son. “I haven’t really told anybody, but I’ve got Bell’s palsy. … That’s why you see me like this. I appreciate the prayers and the love. That’s what’s happening with my mouth right now. I just wanted everyone to know that.”
Appearing on NBA TV’s pregame show on Friday evening, Thomas said that the condition is only temporary.
“As you know, I got a little Bell’s palsy,” Thomas said. “I’m dealing with it. I’m showing up. I ain’t taking off, but I just wanted everybody to know that I appreciate your prayers and thank you for everything. They said it’s a temporary condition. It’s gonna get better over time. But thank you for hanging with me.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, Bell’s palsy causes weakness in muscles in one side of the face and is often a short-term condition that ultimately improves.
Thomas’ revelation comes months after Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy during the team’s playoff run last spring.
Thomas played for the Detroit Pistons from 1981-1994 and then coached the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks and Florida International University. He won two NBA titles, was a 12-time All-Star and member of three All-NBA First Teams. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.
