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Washington Basketball Pro Dawgs: Thomas nearing return to NBA

By Kevin Hart

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 18: Isaiah Thomas #2 of the Washington Huskies moves the ball upcourt while taking on the Georgia Bulldogs during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 18, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 18: Isaiah Thomas #2 of the Washington Huskies moves the ball upcourt while taking on the Georgia Bulldogs during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 18, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Former Washington Basketball star Isaiah Thomas is nearing his return to NBA action.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported over the weekend that former Washington guard Isaiah Thomas is nearing his return to the hardwood. Woj reported that, according to sources near the Denver Nuggets, “There’s strong confidence that he will return no later than the first game after the All Star break on Feb. 22 in Dallas.”

Thomas spent three seasons with Washington, helping the Huskies earn NCAA tournament bids each year, but Washington never made it out of the third round. During his time, he won Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors to go with two first team All-Pac 10 honors his sophomore and junior year. He decided to forgo his senior season and declared for the NBA draft that March. Thomas’s No. 2 jersey was retired by Washington on February 17th, 2018, joining Brandon Roy‘s No. 3 and Bob Houbregs‘ No. 25.


Thomas will be looking to return to a Denver Nuggets team that he signed a veteran-minimum contract with over this past summer. Denver will be his sixth team in eight seasons in the league, following time spent with the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Although IT insisted that he would be ready by training camp, this will be his first appearance this season. An ongoing hip injury has kept him sidelined for this season, and, unfortunately, for a time in his last three seasons as well. He originally had his hip worked on during the his time with the Boston Celtics in the midst of their playoff run in 2017. This past March, he once again had surgery on the same hip, causing IT to be sidelined ever since despite being considered minimally invasive.

With his return looming, the Nuggets organization have a problem, albeit a good problem, on their hands. Currently flushed with guards – Jamal Murray, Malik Beasley, Monte Morris, Will Barton, and Gary Harris all average north of 20 minutes a game – the Denver Nuggets have an embarrassment of riches in the backcourt. Will IT ever get to play meaningful minutes for Denver? We’ll have to just wait and see.

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