"Isiah has to own up to his own problem" - Magic Johnson said Isiah Thomas needs to look in the mirror over Dream Team snub

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"Isiah has to own up to his own problem" - Magic Johnson said Isiah Thomas needs to look in the mirror over Dream Team snub originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Speculation has followed Isiah Thomas for decades — specifically, the shadow of the 1992 Dream Team and his absence. He was, after all, one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, won two NBA championships and had 12 NBA All-Star appearances.
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He had the credentials. But he never made the cut.
Various reasons have been put forward from politics, personality and fractured relationships. The story has never been short on theories. The prevailing narrative points to Michael Jordan in a rumored power move in response to a long-running feud with Thomas that dated back to the late '80s.
Thomas' pill to swallow
Magic Johnson, a close friend of Thomas, sees the story through a wider lens. He insisted on accountability on the Detroit Pistons legend for his absence from the Dream Team.
"That doesn't take away from Isiah's career or who he is as a man," Johnson said. "But at the same time, Isiah has to own up to his own problem and say, 'Hey, you know what, I had a hand in that, in that situation."
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Thomas' rivalry with Jordan became infamous, not only on the court but in the psyche of the NBA, fueled by bruising playoff matchups and the bitter physicality of Detroit's Bad Boys era.
The Eastern Conference battles between Detroit and Chicago were turf wars and Thomas stood at the center of it all, a general on a team that made it their mission to rattle and reject Jordan at every turn.
While the spotlight has often fallen on Jordan's role, Johnson's comments redirect the focus. He points to Thomas himself, suggesting the point guard's own actions and strained relationships across the league contributed as much as any behind-the-scenes veto.
Thomas had tensions with several Dream Team members, including Scottie Pippen and Larry Bird. The Pistons' unapologetically aggressive style, particularly during their peak from 1988 to 1990, drew resentment from rivals who saw their success as coming at the cost of sportsmanship.
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In 1991, they famously walked off the court without shaking hands after being swept by the Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals — a move that, though not orchestrated by Thomas alone, was closely associated with his leadership. That moment wasn't forgotten.
In the politically charged selection process for the Dream Team, every grudge mattered. Chemistry was paramount and if too many stars had reservations about one player, that player wasn't technically going.
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Magic's part
Johnson, who had once shared a brotherhood with Thomas before their relationship soured in the early '90s, also took a moment to clarify his role, or lack thereof, in the Dream Team controversy. The Los Angeles Lakers legend didn't have a part to play in Thomas not making the cut despite a leadership role in the selection process.
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"The only thing David Stern and Rod Thorn asked me to do was to call Larry Bird and Michael Jordan and tell them they should play on the Dream Team," Johnson recalled. "Because Michael Jordan was on the fence on whether he wanted to play or not. Larry Bird was on the fence only because of his back."
Johnson, a central figure in the NBA's golden age, wasn't involved in gatekeeping. Instead, he was a recruiter, called upon to ensure the league's top stars bought into the Olympic experiment. Amid the web of stories and finger-pointing, Thomas might benefit from acknowledging the dynamics that made his inclusion a hard sell.
For a player of his stature, being kept off the most iconic team in basketball history was a statement about the NBA's ecosystem at the time and how the game's best had come to view one of their own.
Even now, the debate endures. But as Johnson pointed out, careers like Thomas' don't get erased by a single omission. They are marked by rings, records, moments and the respect of those who played the game at its highest level. The Dream Team lives in legend, but Thomas' legacy still stands.
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With or without the Dream Team.
Related: 'We are too old for this right now' - Magic Johnson pleads with Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas to talk out their beef
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.