I can't imagine what Thursday was like for Isaiah Thomas. As names continued to be called at the 2011 NBA Draft, Thomas was patiently waiting, hoping to hear his own name at some point. The first round passed and, not surprisingly, Thomas was still waiting. And as the second round continued to roll on, Thomas was still waiting -- at this point probably growing more nervous with each pick.
As teams began to reach for players and grab internationals few had heard of, it looked as though Thomas was destined to go undrafted. He was going to have to earn it the hard way through the undrafted free agent process. With a lockout looming, going undrafted was an even tougher pill to swallow this year.
Finally, by the skin of his teeth, Thomas became a 2011 NBA Draft pick. With the 60th, and final, pick in the draft, the Sacramento Kings selected Thomas, ending his long wait. He was the Mr. Irrelevant of the NBA Draft, but it didn't matter. He had a chance.
Thomas heads to Sacramento where he faces an uphill battle, but he's in the league. And I'm not sure who was waiting more nervously: Thomas or fans of the Washington Huskies hoping to see the players they watched for three years hear his name called. The story had a happy ending, though, and will be a moment he looks back on and laughs at down the line.
Stay with this StoryStream for the latest on the draft and how Thomas may project in the NBA. For more on the Washington Huskies, head over to SB Nation's UW Dawg Pound. For more on Thomas' new home, head over to Sactown Royalty.