Get ready to see a lot more of Isaiah Thomas this summer. The Boston Celtics point guard will appear in ESPN’s Body Issue when it drops early next month. Thomas joins sports stars like Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot, Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Báez and others in the athlete-specific rival to Sports Illustrated‘s Swimsuit Edition.
Thomas appears wearing nothing and holding little more than a basketball in a promotional video ESPN released for the issue. Here’s a look at the photo shoot.
They also had a story about the guard and a video showing a bit of the photo shoot where Thomas is wearing nothing but the basketball strategically placed in front of him.
Thomas talks about his height, his tattoos and how he studied Bruce Lee to improve his game.
A few summers ago, I studied Bruce Lee — read all his quotes, read his books and just tried to figure out how he got so sharp mentally. He was the best at what he did. Mentally, he went to a level that nobody can reach, and he’s someone who didn’t really make too many mistakes at what he was doing. His quote “Be shapeless. Be formless. Be like water,” that was one of the quotes that stuck with me. Be able to adapt to anything that comes your way — whether it be in life, in basketball. You’ve got to adapt to everything on the fly, and don’t be just put in a box. I don’t like when people just try to put you in a certain box. “Is he a point guard? Is he a shooting guard?” No, I’m a guard that makes plays and is effective on the court. Don’t try to put me in no certain box, because I’m not that.
ESPN tweeted out a preview of a potential cover for Thomas earlier in the week.
Body Issue 2017 is coming soon.
Our next cover star? @Isaiah_Thomas. pic.twitter.com/jz5H5uUb9k
— ESPN (@espn) June 23, 2017
Tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, softball player A.J. Andrews and WBNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike are a few of the female participants. ESPN is premiering the body issue on its website on July 5, and it hits newsstands two days later.
