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Police: Isiah Thomas Overdoses On Sleeping Pills
Former Knicks President Taken To White Plains Hospital

Reports: Thomas Took 10 Lunesta Pills, But Is 'Fine'
PURCHASE, N.Y. (CBS) ― Officers were sent to the home of former New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas early Friday morning in response to a call that he had overdosed on sleeping pills, Harrison Police Chief David Hall confirmed to CBS 2.

Thomas was rushed to White Plains Hospital for treatment, but his condition is not yet known.

"There was a legal prescription, but obviously we're not mind readers, we don't know if there was intent there. You know sometimes people take two and they can't go to sleep and they take two more and they can't go to sleep and before you know it it has affected them," Hall told CBS 2.

Police arrived at Thomas' home shortly after midnight in response to a 911 call from a cell phone and that Thomas' condition was being classified as an overdose.

According to the Daily News, police say the victim consumed "roughly 10 Lunesta sleeping pills."

Barry Watkins, vice president of communications for Madison Square Garden, told The Journal News newspaper, "Isiah is fine."

Thomas was fired by the Knicks on April 18 after the team's seventh straight losing season. The team finished a miserable 23-59, tying a franchise record for most losses in a season, and fans had long been calling, if not screaming, for Thomas' dismissal.

He was replaced by Donnie Walsh as team president, but has remained with the club as a consultant.

Last season was as troubling for Thomas off the court as it was on.

Thomas was found to have sexually harassed a former team employee, feuded with point guard Stephon Marbury and benched center Eddy Curry — the players Thomas acquired in the two biggest of a number of moves that never panned out.

In the sexual harassment case, a jury found Thomas and MSG sexually harassed former team executive Anucha Browne Sanders and ordered the company to pay $11.6 million in damages. Criticized by Al Sharpton and Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer for comments he made in his taped deposition, Thomas seemed downcast during most of training camp—and never had much reason for better spirits when the season began.

The Knicks started 2-1, then dropped eight in a row as the Thomas-Marbury feud sent the season spiraling out of control. Marbury responded to Thomas' plans to bench him by skipping a game in Phoenix, and the players reportedly voted to make Marbury sit out a game when he returned. Instead, Thomas played the point guard more than 33 minutes off the bench in a game in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

It soon became obvious that Thomas' draft night acquisition of Zach Randolph had set back Curry, who lost his confidence and later his starting job. Speculation was rampant by Thanksgiving that Thomas' job was in jeopardy, and it only heated up after the Knicks' nationally televised 104-59 loss at Boston on Nov. 29.

Chants of "Fire Isiah!" sometimes started minutes after home games, and even Dolan's strong relationship with Thomas couldn't convince people the coach would last.

The Monkey Man

Jah...

He's no Joe Dumars at the office is he?

Have Problems?... Chances are its due to overpopulation
Save The Oceans, Save the Planet, Save Your Family, Save Yourself!

IainDaniel

Fuck Isiah

Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

Michael Jordan

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There's more...

Police chief blasts Isiah Thomas for 'cover-up' in pinning overdose on daughter

Police chief blasts Isiah Thomas for 'cover-up' in pinning overdose on daughter
BY MARK LELINWALLA AND CHRISTINA BOYLE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Saturday, October 25th 2008, 4:57 PM

You should be ashamed, Isiah!

The police chief in the Isiah Thomas case blasted the former Knicks coach Saturday for using his daughter to "cover up" his accidental overdose.

Harrison Police Chief David Hall said the former NBA great was throwing his 17-year-old daughter "under the bus" by claiming she was the one rushed to the hospital Friday, not him.



"My cops ... know the difference between a 47-year-old black male and a young black female," Hall told the Associated Press. "It wasn't his daughter - and why they're throwing her under the bus is beyond my ability to understand."

He continued: "These people should learn something from Richard Nixon - it's not the crime, it's the cover-up."

Hall said no suicide note was found, and police were classifying the case "as an accidental drug overdose."

Early reports said emergency crews were called to treat a 47-year-old man, the same age as Thomas. Police sources later confirmed it was the NBA star.



Authorities also revealed Thomas had downed 10 Lunesta pills and lost consciousness by the time emergency workers arrived at his $4 million Westchester County home in the early hours of Friday morning.

But Thomas himself denied it was an overdose, adding that his daughter is "very down right now."

Thomas's son Joshua, 20, told the News on Friday that the reports of sleeping pills were false and also said it was sister, not his father, who needed medical attention.

Joshua hit out at Hall for accusing his father of a cover up.

"Saying that someone is being thrown under the bus when you are talking about health issues is disrespectful," the Indiana University student wrote in a text to the News.

"I love both my sister and dad and am glad that both are doing well. Thanks for all the support, but as a family we are fine and stronger than ever."

The former Knicks coach remained out of the spotlight Saturday and did not return calls seeking an explanation for what really happened.

A Knicks spokesman refused to address Hall's allegations, saying the club would stand by its original statement that claimed Thomas was dealing with a "family matter."

Thomas has seen his reputation shattered in recent years for several losing seasons and a blockbuster sexual harassment suit against him and Madison Square Garden.

His handling of the reports of an overdose added further fuel to fans' calls for him to step down.

"I wish him well health-wise but I wish he'd get out of New York," said Skip Funt, 65, from Manhattan.

"I think he's a disgrace to the Knicks because he can't coach and he can't manage. He'll blame anybody just to make himself look good because that's the kind of guy he is."

"He was a good player in Detroit and I hated him as a general manager and a coach," said transit worker Joe Boyce, 57, from Queens. "He's got a lot of ghosts in his closet."

cboyle@nydailynews.com

With Flora Sair

I Are Baboon

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