“Let it Be Known.” In Game 6 of the 1988 Finals, a hobbled Isiah Thomas scored 25 points in the third quarter. He ended the game with 43 points, albeit because of the injury. That is one of the reasons that Zeke is one of the favorite ‘Bad boys’ of the NBA community and thus the keen eyes on him have noted a concerning situation.

In a recent interview with Forbes, Isiah Thomas’s physical appearance raised significant concern among fans and observers for various reasons. Some even feel it’s the opposite of his appearances during ‘The Last Dance’ documentary, where he was sharp, animated, and verbally fluid. So what is the cause of the concern for the netizens regarding the 63-year-old’s health?

Can Isiah Thomas fight back against the alleged medical situation?

The 2x NBA Champion spoke with Forbes senior writer Jabari Young about wealth management and his CEO journey. During the interview, his lips appeared noticeably asymmetrical, with a distinct lopsidedness evident when speaking or attempting to lick his lips. His tongue seemed to move unevenly, further highlighting potential issues. And one fan pointed out “LOOKS LIKE HE HAS BELLS PALSY.”

Bell’s Palsy is a neurological condition characterized by sudden, temporary weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles, typically affecting one side of the face. Since Isiah Thomas’ speech patterns were markedly different from his past, with a noticeable struggle to articulate certain words smoothly, the condition was brought up. As per reports, it affects 15 to 40 of every 100,000 people annually and recurs in approximately 10% of cases.

Fortunately, 70% to 80% of patients will recover completely even without treatment, and over 95% recover with prompt pharmacological therapy. In rare cases, surgical intervention may be indicated to protect the eye or improve recovery of facial nerve function. The fan’s comments were genuine and others too pointed out the same. Because his right side did look to be less actively involved in the muscular movements than his left.

But the condition isn’t new to the NBA.

A former MVP shared his journey about dealing with Bell’s Palsy

In April this year, Philadelphia 76ers star, Joel Embiid, spoke to the press, “I think it started a day or two before the Miami game [in the play-in tournament on April 17], and I had bad migraines and thought it was nothing.” Embiid recounted his battles and noticed effects on the “left side of my face, my mouth and my eye.”

This led to his vision blurring at times and therefore, he had to use eye drops to prevent them from going dry. “It’s been tough, but I’m not a quitter.” The 7x All-Star continued, “I’m going to keep fighting through anything. It’s unfortunate, that’s the way I look at it. But it’s not an excuse. I’ve got to keep pushing.” He later confirmed that it would probably take a few more months for the condition to go away.

As per ex-NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, the diagnosis of Joel Embiid was a “mild case” of Bell’s Palsy. The situation came under the scanner when fans noticed the player played with a twitch in his left eye. Which is very similar to what fans have been speculating about Isiah Thomas.