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Isiah Thomas and Adrian Dantley beefed so hard one guy got rings and the other “got screwed”



Isaiah Thomas and Adrian Dantley were teammates on the Pistons during the late 1980s. Together they came within one win of an NBA championship… and also developed a deep-seated beef that still exists today. Huh? What? Why? That first part sounded so nice and promising!

Well, it’s hard to share a spotlight and harder when your acrimonious relationship heightens the insecurities and regrets of your career. It’s beef time!

Written and produced by: Clara Morris
Directed and edited by: Ryan Simmons
Motion Graphics by: Tyson Whiting

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33 Comments

  1. I feel badly for both. Isiah was vilified. Dantley retired without a ring. Isiah is the reason I found basketball after being a baseball and football fan as a younger child. Yet, I cosigned how John Salley felt the night they completed the sweep of LA. I’m conflicted for sure.

  2. Adrian Dantley with the Kirk Cousins career.. put up great numbers but never will get a ring

  3. What makes this beef so funny is that Dantley actually envisioned a scenario where he could actually prevail against Detroit's franchise player. Thomas def had some influence in getting Dantley traded but he prob didn't need to do too much because Dantley kept digging his own grave deeper and deeper.

  4. Pistons didn't lose the 88 finals, the refs just bent over backwards to make sure the Lakers won. Most obvious non-foul ever called.

  5. Please check the facts! Isiah DID NOT make those comments about Larry Bird! That was Dennis Rodman. Zeke being the captain of the team did what good leaders should do. He stood up for his teammate! CHECK!!!

  6. Research will show Isaiah comment on Larry Bird was an agreement with rodman to take his side.

  7. so much pride in this older generations to the point they this old now and still cant get over this type of stuff…..like IT still mad over the dream team selections haha

  8. Adrian Dantley wouldn't get off the floor when Daley wanted to put in Dennis Rodman and they had a fight in the middle of a game. Dantley's problem was Dantley.

  9. Congrats on 100 episodes! One of the best channels on YouTube right here.

  10. Pistons won 2 titles trading Dantley. Not only Mark Aguirre but gave Rodman more playing time as well as team chemistry.

  11. So, Isiah is largely responsible for getting Dantley off Detroit, yet everyone obsesses about a largely unsubstantiated Jordan-Thomas Olympic blacklist? Wow.

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