How Isaiah Thomas helped Will Barton become a better leader

When the Nuggets’ locker room fell quiet last season more often than not it was Isaiah Thomas who did the talking.

Even though Thomas didn’t make his Nuggets’ debut until Feb. 13 and would only play in 12 games, his voice was felt throughout Denver’s 2018-19 campaign. His genuine, honest, and sometimes brash leadership style had a significant influence on Will Barton.

“I learned a lot about leadership from him,” Barton told DNVR. “He taught me how to speak up even more when times are tough. When no one wanted to say anything and you’re kind of shy about talking, I.T. would always say what was on his heart and try to make us better.”

With Thomas now in Washington as a member of the Wizards, who visit the Nuggets Tuesday, Denver’s vacant leadership mantle has fallen to a committee of players. Paul Millsap has always been a lead-by-example presence. Jamal Murray has made concerted strides to shoulder some of the Nuggets’ leadership responsibilities this season, as has Nikola Jokic. Barton, has helped fill some of that void too as he continues to take cues from how Thomas commanded the Nuggets’ locker room last season.

“In certain moments you might no want to say nothing, because if you’re talking too much you feel like you’ve got to let someone else talk,” Barton said. “But he used to tell me that’s my role on the team.”

Thomas is currently trying to resurrect his career in Washington. He came of the bench to begin the year, but the Wizards anointed him their starting point guard in Washington’s sixth game of the regular season. On paper, his numbers look good. Thomas is averaging 12.8 points on 44.4% shooting from the field, 42.4% from 3, and 5.6 assists per game as he’s helped the Wizards to the second-best offense in the league. Defensively, the Wizards and Thomas have struggled. As of Monday, Thomas is the owner of the worst individual Defensive Rating in the league and as a team Washington ranks 29th in defensive efficiency.

But he’s playing consistently again, and logging a healthy 24.7 minutes per night. That’s a win for Thomas by itself.

“I always told him to keep his head up and things will turn back around for him,” said Barton. “I’m just glad to see things go well for him finally.”

Thomas and Barton bonded in Denver last season in part because of their similar injury situations. While Thomas rehabbed from hip surgery which ended his 2017-18 season over the first several months of last year, Barton was working his way from an injury of his own.

In the Nuggets’ second game of the regular season, Barton suffered a hip and core injury that later required surgery — a first for the 28-year-old in his career. The two went through their rehabs side by side.

Barton and Thomas have recently communicated through text to check up on one another.

“We’re just telling each other that’s its good to see each other playing well,” Barton said. “He’s been injury plagued for the last couple of years. I was injury plagued through last year. We support each other. We were close last year. We talked a lot. It’s just good to see him moving well and playing the way he wants.”

Thomas is hoping to slowly rediscover his All-Star rhythm and game in Washington while in Denver Barton has already found his form from two seasons ago. After struggling over the second half of last season one he returned from a three-month absence to begin the year, Barton is averaging 15.4 points while posting career-high shooting percentages from the field (45.4%) and 3 (45.6%). He’s also averaging a career-high 6.9 rebounds to go with 3.0 assists per game.

Off the court he’s making his presence felt too. Barton’s now more willing to speak up and have those uncomfortable conversations with the rest of his team when the Nuggets’ locker room falls silent. He’s got Thomas to thank for giving him the confidence to do so.

“He would tell me I have to speak up more because the guys respect me because I’m a vet and I’m one of our key players,” Barton said. “He would just always tell me that my voice had to be heard.”