NBA
Former Knicks Coach Shares Bell’s Palsy Diagnosis
Former New York Knicks coach and NBA legend Isiah Thomas has been diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy.
According to Johns Hopkins, Bell’s Palsy is “an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis.”
Thompson shared the diagnosis while appearing on former Knicks point guard Mark Jackson’s Come And Talk 2 Me podcast.
“I know I have a lot of people watching, and I haven’t really told anybody, but I have Bell’s palsy,” Thomas said h/t Detroit News reporter Coty M. Davis. “I appreciate the prayers and the love. But that’s what is happening with my mouth right now.”
Thomas was still healthy enough to make an appearance on NBA TV’s pregame coverage for tonight’s Indiana Pacers vs. Boston Celtics matchup.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported me this past month,” Thomas said on the broadcast.
Thomas, 63, spent all 13 years of his playing career with the Detroit Pistons. He transitioned into coaching in 2000 with the Indiana Pacers, where he spent three years. He was hired by the Knicks in 2006, compiling a record of 56-108 during his two seasons at the helm in the Big Apple.