Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Conflicting Stories of Isiah Thomas's Overdose
By
Peter Trinkle
Published Oct 25, 2008
Modified Oct 25, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Peter Trinkle
Published Oct 25, 2008
Modified Oct 25, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Somehow you knew that we hadn’t heard the last of Isiah Thomas, but this certainly wasn’t the way we expected to hear about him again. As details continue to emerge about Isiah’s overdose, the story has taken a bizarre and sad twist. Reached by the New York Post, Isiah told the Post that it was his 17-year old daughter, Lauren, who was rushed to the hospital. “My daughter is very down right now,” he told them, but also added it “wasn’t an overdose.”
The only problem is that Isiah's story isn’t true. Police will not confirm the name of the person taken to the hospital, but they
describe the victim as a “47-year old male”. When asked about the confusion, Harrison Police Chief David Hall said, “I understand that this person claims it was his daughter; he is lying. It was definitely not his daughter, it was a male. We know the difference between a 47-year-old black male and a young black female.”
Police are calling the incident an “accidental overdose of a prescription sleeping pill”, but why did Isiah feel the need to get his daughter involved? Looking back, throughout all of his struggles here in New York, Thomas always deflected the blame for his problems elsewhere. Would a father really use his own daughter in that manner? One can only hope not, but right now it seems like Isiah has.
Photo of Isiah Thomas by AP/Kathy Willens
Tagged
basketball
isiah thomas
knicks
sports
Peter Trinkle
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 2:49 p.m. ET
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .