In this special episode of Born to the Game - Summer League Rewind, we revisit our conversation with Zeke Thomas — DJ, activist, and son of NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas. Zeke joined hosts Mariah Woodson and Tamara Peyton live at NBA Summer League 2025 to talk about growing up in the shadow of one of basketball's greatest legends, carving his own identity, and using his platform to fight for equal rights and equal justice.

Isiah Thomas's résumé is unmatched — two NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons, a Hall of Fame induction, and a career that extended into ownership and leadership with the Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, and New York Knicks. But to Zeke, his father was first and foremost Dad — and understanding the weight of that legacy took a lifetime of moving, adapting, and self-discovery.

Zeke reflects on a childhood spent constantly relocating — from Detroit to Indiana to New York — and the toll that repeated uprooting took on his friendships, his trust, and his sense of belonging. He shares the moment his father's fame truly landed for him: arriving in New York and seeing Isiah Thomas on the cover of every newspaper, every single day. He recounts being taken out by Spike Lee and Chris Rock to the 40/40 Club, where he met Jay-Z — a night that crystallized exactly what world he had been born into.

The conversation gets candid as Zeke discusses the unique pressure of being asked, constantly, whether he was as great a basketball player as his father — a question he still gets asked today and still finds deeply uncomfortable. He shares the story of beating his father one-on-one on the Pacers' practice court, dunking on him, after which Isiah simply said they couldn't play anymore. He talks about experiencing racism despite his privilege, and the powerful reminder that in America, no matter how famous your father is, being Black means you are never exempt.

Zeke opens up about surviving sexual assault and how that experience became a turning point — one that forced him to reckon with his voice, his platform, and his responsibility to speak. As a gay Black man, he describes the layered pressure he carries: a duty inherited from ancestors, from his father's legacy, and from his own community. He speaks about his activism work in cannabis legislation with NORML, his involvement with Shelan Champagne, and his sustainability work with One World Products in the bio-hemp space.

Zeke also shares three pieces of advice from his father that have stayed with him: that the one you love the most has the ability to hurt you the most, that the same effort you put in is what you get out, and simply — to smile.

This is a layered, funny, vulnerable, and inspiring conversation about legacy, identity, duty, resilience, and what it means to be born to the game — and then choose to play it entirely on your own terms.

Key Topics Covered:

• Growing up as the son of NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas
• Childhood memories of Detroit, Indiana, and New York
• Seeing his father on the front page of every New York newspaper
• The night Spike Lee and Chris Rock took him to meet Jay-Z at the 40/40 Club
• The pressure of constantly being asked: "Are you as good as your dad?"
• Beating Isiah Thomas one-on-one on the Pacers' practice court
• How frequent moves shaped his trust, friendships, and emotional resilience
• Experiencing racism despite growing up in a privileged household
• Surviving sexual assault and finding his voice through activism
• Being a gay Black man and the layered duty that comes with that identity
• His career as DJ Zeke and his start at Hot 97
• Activism in cannabis legislation with NORML
• Shelan Champagne and One World Products in the bio-hemp space
• The three pieces of life advice Isiah Thomas gave him
• How Isiah Thomas helped recruit Mike Woodson to Indiana University
• Advice for other children of legends navigating identity and legacy
• Three words for "Born to the Game": resilient, duty, and luck

About the Guest: Zeke Thomas is a DJ, activist, and creative force based in New York. The son of NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, Zeke began his career in music at Hot 97 and has built a platform centered on equal rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, mental health awareness, and sustainability. He sits on the board of NORML, is involved with Shelan Champagne, and works with One World Products in the bio-hemp space. He is one of the most prominent and outspoken voices among the children of NBA legends.

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