Did Isiah Move to South Florida to Look After Broward-Dwelling Mother?

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By Thomas Francis in Broward, Sports

Mon., Oct. 26 2009 @ 11:16AM

Flickr: fiu

Thomas at the press conference announcing his hire at FIU

Back in April, it was a curious move: Isiah Thomas taking the job as basketball coach at Florida International University. Since retiring as one of the game's best-ever point guards, the former Detroit Piston had been a basketball executive and pro coach. He bombed at both, but still it didn't seem so bad that he had to settle for a college coaching job at a mid-major program like FIU's. (No offense, Panthers.)

But deep within this Miami Herald article about Thomas' feud with Magic Johnson, there may be a clue about what led him to our neck of the woods.

It has been a tough week for Thomas. His mother, Mary, had a heart attack in Fort Lauderdale last week and was released from the hospital Thursday.

Mary Thomas, of course, is the centerpiece of the 1989 feel-good TV movie: A Mother's Courage, which tells of how this Chicago mom was made tough by the world but still tender with her beloved basketball prodigy.

In interviews, Thomas has never mentioned his mother having a role in his decision to take the job at FIU.