The former Hoosier point guard was asked about the program during an appearance on Query and Company.
Former Indiana point guard and NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas joined Jake Query’s Query and Company on Friday to discuss topics such as the Indiana Pacers and the current state of the Hoosiers’ men’s basketball program under Mike Woodson.
Thomas’ and Woodson’s time with the program overlapped for one year when the former was a freshman and the latter was a senior. The 1979-80 Hoosiers began as preseason No. 1 but hobbled in conference play due to injuries to both Woodson and Randy Wittman.
Woodson’s return from injury ignited a six-game winning streak en route to a Big Ten Player of the Year nod and a conference championship. Thomas has cited Woodson’s return game against Iowa as one of his favorite memories from his basketball career.
Asked how often he speaks with Woodson as of late and how much he follows the program these days, Thomas said he speaks with the Hoosiers’ head coach on a weekly basis and that he follows Indiana “religiously,” watching every game.
Prompted for his perspective on the program and Woodson’s leadership of it, Thomas offered a few thoughts.
Among them, he says alumni were hoping for someone with experience within the program to lead it eventually. When Indiana loses, it affects Woodson personally, Thomas says.
“He’s from the state of Indiana,” said Thomas. “You know, he can’t hide.”
Thomas went on to say Woodson knows and feels the pressure to succeed, and that he and others around the program want whoever coaches it to know and feel that kind of pressure.
“It takes a lot to win,” Thomas said. “The critics, and I’ll say this again, the critics are not always wrong. There are good lessons, great lessons to be learned out of great and good critique.”
Thomas also noted that criticism occasionally goes overboard and becomes personal.
To listen to Thomas’ full remarks, listen to Query and Company on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or through 1075 The Fan.