Hall of Famer and former Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas has Bell’s palsy, he said during an appearance on former ESPN analyst and Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson’s podcast on Thursday. Thomas, who has been a studio analyst for NBA TV since 2012, then posted about it on Instagram.
“See you soon, @nbatv,” Thomas wrote Friday. “I appreciate your prayers as I continue to recover from Bell’s Palsy.”
Bell’s palsy is a temporary condition that causes partial paralysis on one side of the face. Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid dealt with Bell’s palsy earlier this year, and played through it during the 2024 postseason.
Thomas was on the NBA TV panel on Friday night. While on air, Thomas implied that he’d had Bell’s palsy for the last month, per NBC News.
“I’m dealing with it, I’m showing up, I ain’t taking off,” Thomas said, per NBC News. “But I just wanted everybody to know that I appreciate your prayers and thank you for everything.”
