Isiah Thomas didn’t hold back — and this time, LeBron James was squarely in his sights.
During NBATV’s pregame coverage of Friday night’s Western Conference matchup between the Lakers and Rockets, the broadcast returned from commercial with a clip of LeBron casually getting shots up during warmups. Nothing unusual… except that LeBron was shirtless.
What followed? A full-on on-air roasting from the Hall of Fame point guard and Detroit legend.
“We Ain’t at the YMCA”
Let’s just say Isiah wasn’t impressed. In fact, he was downright outraged.
“I like LeBron, I’m a fan of his, so forth and so on,” Thomas started. “But to walk out on the floor before the game with no shirt on and shoot? Where are we at? What are we doing?”
Thomas said the act crossed a line and called on NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to step in and fine James. Yes, fine him — for shirtless warmups.
“I totally 100% object to this,” Thomas continued. “If I was a GM or a coach, I would never let one of my players walk out on the floor looking like this. I mean, we are a professional NBA league. We ain’t Summer League, we ain’t at the YMCA.”
The rant didn’t stop there. Thomas went on to lament what he sees as a broader loss of professionalism across the league, using James’s pregame wardrobe — or lack thereof — as a prime example.
A LeBron Moment, a League-Wide Message
LeBron’s shirtless warmups have popped up on social media from time to time, often met with admiration for his age-defying physique. But Thomas clearly sees something deeper — a shift in the NBA’s culture that’s veering too far from its polished, professional image.
"I totally 100% object to this … the professionalism in our NBA league has diminished so much."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 12, 2025
Isiah Thomas tees off on LeBron James for warming up shirtless pregame in L.A. 😬 pic.twitter.com/j7YPgkcbrc
The Bottom Line
Love him or hate him, Isiah Thomas doesn’t bite his tongue — especially when it comes to upholding the NBA’s standards. Whether you agree with his take or not, his passionate response shows just how much the old guard still cares about how the game is represented.
As for LeBron? Something tells us he’ll keep warming up however he pleases — shirt or no shirt.
