What happened to Isiah Thomas? Hall of Famer reveals health diagnosis

Ben Leibowitz, Akron Beacon JournalTue, May 5, 2026 at 3:08 PM UTC

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Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas has been enjoying the Motor City's return to postseason play.

After years mired in mediocrity, the 2025-26 Pistons led by former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham and under coach J.B. Bickerstaff earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

After narrowly avoiding an early postseason exit by coming back from 3-1 down in a first-round series against the Orlando Magic, the Pistons will next face James Harden, Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

NBA playoffs: Cavaliers face their former coach as they battle Detroit Pistons in NBA playoffs

Thomas continues to be a mainstay at Pistons games, as the NBA Hall of Famer gets shouted out both in the stadium and on broadcasts.

Fans seeing Thomas on TV for the first time in a while have noticed that the man otherwise known as "Zeke" looks different. He recently opened up about a medical diagnosis that explains it.

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Former Pistons star Isiah Thomas reveals he was diagnosed with Bell's palsy

Isiah Thomas speaks during a ceremony to retire the Dallas Mavericks jersey of Mark Aguirre during halftime of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Center on January 29, 2026 in Dallas, Texas.

Speaking on The Mark Jackson Show, which is part of the Come and Talk 2 Me network, Thomas revealed that he's been diagnosed with Bell's palsy.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Bell’s palsy is a “condition that causes sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face.” It notes that the weakness is often short-term and typically improves over the span of weeks.

The facial weakness can lead to one side of the face appearing to droop, creating one-sided smiles and/or making the eye on the affected side difficult to close completely, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“I’ve gotten a lot of love from people saying, ‘Well, Isiah’s sick. What is he going through?’” Thomas said on the podcast. “I haven’t really told anybody, but I’ve got Bell’s palsy. … That’s why you see me like this.”

Thomas added that he appreciates "the prayers and the love" from fans who noticed symptoms affecting Thomas’ face.

Thomas, who was the star point guard of the "Bad Boys" era of Pistons basketball, was a 12-time NBA All-Star who won two championships with Detroit.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas reveals health diagnosis

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