Home for the weekend, Isaiah Thomas says he will do what he’s always done with the Nuggets – ‘be special’

This is a weekend Isaiah Thomas looks forward to every year. And this year, perhaps more than others, the local NBA star is excited to be back in Tacoma.

“This is where the heart is at,” he said Friday afternoon at Tacoma Community College. “This is where I was born and raised. No matter what I’m going through, when I come back home it’s all love and support.”

Thomas, the former Curtis High School and University of Washington standout, received his usual warm welcome home as his annual Zeke-End basketball tournament began.

“I’m just excited to be back and bring basketball back to the city,” Thomas said. “This is always a weekend that me and my family anticipate and are excited about — just to bring everybody together for a really cool weekend.”

It’s a good break from what has otherwise been a long year for the 29-year-old NBA veteran, who is about to enter his eighth season in the league with another new organization in the Denver Nuggets.

After three years and two All-Star campaigns spent in Boston, Thomas was traded to Cleveland in August of last year. In February, less than six months later, he was traded again, and played 17 games with the Los Angeles Lakers, and then had hip surgery in March.

Thomas signed a one-year deal with Denver, the sixth organization of his career, in July.

“It’s a good opportunity for myself,” he said. “I’ve been coached by Mike Malone before in Sacramento, so it’s somebody that I trust, and he trusts me. All I ever ask for is an opportunity.”

The opportunity to play for the Nuggets is a good one to again show his ability, he says. Though he isn’t cleared to play yet, he says he’s close, and expects to be a key contributor in the fall.

“I think I can help them,” he said. “We made the decision to go to Denver. They can help me, and I can help them. I think it’s a perfect situation.”

But, is he an underdog again, joining another new organization? Thomas doesn’t think so. He says he wants to do in Denver what he’s always done at every level he’s played at — “be special.”

“I don’t think I have to prove anything,” Thomas said. “When I’m healthy, everybody knows what I bring to the table. My thing is just about getting as healthy as possible, and being able to play at a high level like I’m used to.”

Thomas won’t be on the floor for the fifth rendition of his tournament this weekend as he continues to rehab his hip, but he will watch from the sidelines as a group of NBA stars he brought home with him, and several local college and high school standouts entertain the crowd.

Jamal Crawford (free agent, most recently with Minnesota), Dejounte Murray (San Antonio), Kelly Olynyk (Miami), Derrick Rose (Minnesota), Terrence Ross (Orlando), Terry Rozier (Boston), J.R. Smith (Cleveland) and Lance Stephenson (Los Angeles Lakers) are all slated to appear.

Thomas hinted at one more beloved former player and 11-time All-Star who is expected to stop by the TCC gym on Saturday — Allen Iverson.

“That would be big because that’s my role model,” Thomas said. “That’s someone I looked up to. To have him in my own town would be everything.”

Thomas insists this tournament is held in Tacoma every year — to bring NBA players to the city he grew up in, so the kids from his neighborhood can see and experience this level of basketball.

And, while he enjoyed his time playing on the east coast, Thomas expects Denver to be a good fit.

“It’s always good to be close to home,” he said.