IT shares his opinion:
Isaiah Thomas on Jayson Tatum: "Personally, I don't feel like he should come back. like being a guy that's been injured before this that they that got injured playing your best basketball ever and then coming back and being expected to be that same person right away. It's like you're in a lose-lose situation. And to be on a really good team like all of this has happened to me, so I'm talking from experience. I don't think there's a rush for him to come back. Like you come back and say you play okay and you guys don't win. Who are they blaming? they're blaming you. That's just unnecessary pressure put on yourself. And then it's an Achilles tear. So, it's like, let's not rush this back. Yes, they've done probably the right steps. And yes, he's probably getting healthy and he feels like he's good enough to play for sure. And I've been that age, too, and being young. Like, just that your pride and your ego and you feeling like you're missing out on things.
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IT obviously regrets playing through his injury.
can't blame him considering he was never close to being the same player again.
And prevented him from getting the big contract he was about to get most probably.
Yeah, IT is one of the clearest examples regarding why athletes should put themselves first:
1. His initial injury was misdiagnosed by team doctors;
2. He followed their advice, reinjuring himself further;
3. His injury was properly diagnosed, but he was told he could play in the playoffs without further injuring himself;
4. He played through pain, and reinjured himself;
5. He gets traded and is never the same player again. He never gets a new contract for above the minimum.