Two-time NBA champ, 12x All-Star, and Michael Jordan‘s long-standing rival — we know about Isiah Thomas as an NBA legend, but not much about his personal life. However, ‘The Last Dance’ docuseries put ‘Zeke’ into the spotlight. 

And fans were yet again curious about the Detroit Pistons icon’s life. There is already surface-level information available on Thomas’ marriage and his children. So now we will dive deeper into his personal life, and know more about his married life and children. 

A closer look into Isiah Thomas’ relationship with his wife     

A Secret Service agent’s daughter, Lynn Kendall, reportedly knew Isiah from their Indiana University days. Although there is no official information on when the two started dating, they were reportedly together at the time of ‘Pee Wee’s NBA debut in 1981.

Three years in the league and Pistons upgraded the 12x All-Star to a 10-year, $12 million contract. And it was in this year that he proposed to his college-time love interest. As per the reports, the proposal came at the very same spot the two first met — the campus of Indiana University. 

After tying the knot in 1985 at ‘Our Lady of Sorrows’, the couple welcomed their first son — Joshua Zeke Thomas — in 1988. And although Isiah and Lynn’s relationship stood the test of time, it’s not as if the ride was always smooth. Shortly after the couple tied the knot, Isiah faced a paternity suit involving a love child.

As per the New York Post, a woman identifying herself as Jenni Dones had claimed that following an “intimate, exclusive, ongoing relationship” she birthed the NBA star’s son, Marc Edward Thomas Dones, on May 26, 1985. Notably, Marc’s DOB is just two months before Thomas’s marriage to Kendall. As per the reports, Jenni Dones agreed to a settlement with the 12x All-Star in 1987.

This included a $50,000 payment, $2,764 per month for Marc till he turned 18, and one lump-sum payment of $100,000 on Isiah Thomas’ end. But Jenni went for another suit in 1992, as she claimed the previous settlement failed to meet Marc’s education and support needs. “Dones was able to get an undisclosed amount of additional support for her son,” read an article by the New York Post.

More about Thomas’ three children 

Notably, Marc is the 2x NBA champ’s eldest son and reportedly an accredited meaning writer, poet, and the CEO of the King County Homelessness Authority. It is worth mentioning the Pistons icon has himself had a keen interest in poetry. “I like poetry because it’s free. There are no rules to it…You are not restricted or confined in any way,” he once stated.

As for his relationship with his father, Marc stated he does not care much for what Thomas is on to. “Our lives are separate. He lives his and I live mine…Hasn’t been a good dad to me. He’s never returned my calls — that’s just him,” Marc told the New York Post in 2006. However, in another instance, Marc had reportedly stated he pined for an opportunity to get to know his father, as he had only seen him on TV. 

As for Isiah’s and Kendall’s daughter, Lauren (1991) never maintained much of a public appearance like her brother Joshua. Already battling mental and physical health issues, doctors diagnosed Lauren with narcolepsy in early 2019. According to an article by Project Sleep, Lauren has since her diagnosis been a leading voice for the cause against sharing her story of living with invisible illness via NPR, Project Sleep’s Narcolepsy Nerd Alert Series, Wake Up Narcolepsy’s Narcolepsy 360 podcast, and Instagram.

As for Isiah Thomas’ youngest child, Joshua is quite a known name in the music industry and a businessman. Apart from this, being a sexual assault survivor himself, he is also a mental health awareness advocate. And it seems his passion for music only helped him heal from the wounds of the past. In fact, he even released two post-trauma singles titled ‘Dealin With It’ and ‘Love Me Sober’.

The fact Joshua has shared a stage with the likes of Diana Ross, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, and Snoop Dogg is a testament to his popularity in his craft. He has even performed with the NBA’s very own DJ, Shaquille O’Neal. Some popular platforms that broadcast Joshua’s art include Good Morning America, Arise360 TV, and Sirius XM.   

As a businessman, Isiah Thomas’ youngest son has been involved in more than one business ventures and partnerships. This includes him serving as the Co-Founder and VP of Marketing at crowdMGMT. This involves consulting organizations like the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and The United Nations. He has also been involved in his father’s holding company, ISIAH International. S,o it’s clear all of Isiah Thomas’ children are leaving a mark in their respective life pursuits. 

Stay tuned for more such updates. And to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.