NBA Hall of Famer Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas
Getty
Isiah Thomas weighs in on the GOAT debate and his LeBron-over-Jordan stance hasn’t changed.
One of the most repetitive storylines throughout the 2025-2026 NBA season from a Los Angeles Lakers standpoint has been the consistent on-court complaining from Luka Doncic.
While Doncic has developed a reputation for frequently complaining about calls on the court during his early days with the Dallas Mavericks, his actions are now amplified as he plays for one of the most prominent teams in the NBA.
The NBA legend Isiah Thomas was asked about Doncic’s on-court complaining this week. The former Detroit Pistons star didn’t hold back on Luka and beyond.
“I’m calling ya’ll generation the whiners,” Thomas said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show. “Ya’ll whine a lot.”
Thomas came up in an era where physicality was celebrated in the NBA. He played for a team that was nicknamed “The Bad Boys.”
It’s no surprise he doesn’t appreciate an era of hoops that is accused of having star players foul-baiting and complaining about no-calls.
Thomas entered the NBA in 1981. He was the second-overall pick in the NBA Draft out of Indiana.
Once he landed with the Pistons, that’s where he spent his entire career as a player.
Isiah Thomas Takes A Trip Down Memory Lane
Bill Laimbeer Isiah Thomas
GettyFormer Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer.
In 13 years in the NBA, Thomas appeared in 979 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he had 111 appearances. Thomas knows what it’s like to win at the NBA’s highest level. During his era, the Pistons won back-to-back championships in 1989-1990.
Thomas was the NBA Finals MVP in the Pistons’ second championship during his run.
He was also a 12-time All-Star, 2-time All-Star MVP, 5-time All-NBA member, and the league’s assists leader during the 1985 season.
While Thomas understands the game evolves over time and it’s different compared to when he played, the Hall of Famer’s words carry weight no matter how he sees it.
“Go back and ask your research crew to go back and look at 1988, and the Phantom Foul… Kareem Abdul-Jabbar against Bill Laimbeer. That cost us the series in Game 6,” Thomas added.
“We would’ve been the first team to three-peat during that era. I want you to look at how we handled that situation with the officials on a bad call. A championship-winning [call]. Guy made the call. We was all in disbelief, but it wasn’t [complaining].”
Luka Doncic, Lakers
GettyLuka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
Luka Doncic Is One Of The Most Prominent Scorers In The Game
Even without the fouls, Doncic is one of the most prominent scorers in the league.
While there is a negative narrative surrounding the Lakers’ star due to his complaining about no-calls, it shouldn’t take away from what he brings to the table.
In seven seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic averaged 28.6 points per game, while shooting 47.0% from the field and 34.8% from deep.
Since joining the Lakers during the 2024-2025 NBA season, Doncic has averaged a league-high 33.6 points per game, while knocking down 47.4% of his shots from the field.