Isiah Thomas might have been the No. 1 star of the Detroit Pistons, but as a native of Chicago, he had long been admired in his hometown. Chicagoans initially took pride in the fact that the 6'1" point guard built a life in basketball through extremely hard work.
However, as soon as the rivalry between the Bad Boys Pistons and Michael Jordan's Bulls began to intensify, the attitude of the fans shifted. The same crowd that had once cheered for Zeke now booed him each time he played against their beloved Bulls. Interestingly, for the 10-time All-Star, this shift in sentiment was difficult to comprehend.
Thomas on being booed by Chicago fans
When Scottie Pippen joined the Chicago Bulls in 1987, the team gained the necessary depth to support Jordan in his pursuit of postseason success. It was the Pistons who became a persistent obstacle, eliminating the Bulls in five games in the second round of 1988, followed by back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals triumphs.
This rivalry was not just about coming up short against Detroit; the Bulls fans were outraged by the Pistons' physical and aggressive tactics. The Bad Boys were notorious for their rough play, using whatever means necessary to stop their opponents, which only deepened their animosity.
On a personal level, the rivalry took a toll on the 10-time All-Star. Even his own family members turned against him, cheering for the Bulls during games despite Isiah providing them with the game tickets.
"I didn't understand being booed in Chicago Stadium, and I took it personally," Thomas said, as per Sam Smith. "It was very conflicting. I'm giving my family tickets to the game and they're rooting for the Bulls. I used to tell Michael, 'You might wear Chicago on your chest, but I'll show you what Chicago guys play like.'"
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Isiah was constantly reminded he wasn't Michael Jordan
Isiah, once a local hero who had represented St. Joseph High School in Westchester and earned consensus All-American honors at Indiana University, had always been embraced by the Chicago basketball community. And they were quick to showcase that love when he arrived in the city for pickup games.
However, after the rivalry with the Bulls escalated, everyone in Chicago made it clear to the 'Baby Faced Assassin' that the love was gone. In their eyes, he wasn't comparable to Jordan, whose stardom only grew in the city.
"You ain't nothin'. Jordan's the man. Jordan's better than you," Chicago fans told Thomas, as Smith wrote.
Related: "I am more disappointed today than I was back when I was not selected" -Isiah Thomas on handshake snub as the reason he didn't make the Dream Team