Police: Isiah Thomas Overdoses On Sleeping Pills
Former Knicks President Taken To White Plains Hospital
Reports: Thomas Took 10 Lunesta Pills, But Is 'Fine'
PURCHASE, N.Y. (CBS) â?????? Officers were sent to the home of former New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas early Friday morning in response to a call that he had overdosed on sleeping pills, Harrison Police Chief David Hall confirmed to CBS 2.
Thomas was rushed to White Plains Hospital for treatment, but his condition is not yet known.
"There was a legal prescription, but obviously we're not mind readers, we don't know if there was intent there. You know sometimes people take two and they can't go to sleep and they take two more and they can't go to sleep and before you know it it has affected them," Hall told CBS 2.
Police arrived at Thomas' home shortly after midnight in response to a 911 call from a cell phone and that Thomas' condition was being classified as an overdose.
According to the Daily News, police say the victim consumed "roughly 10 Lunesta sleeping pills."
Barry Watkins, vice president of communications for Madison Square Garden, told The Journal News newspaper, "Isiah is fine."
Thomas was fired by the Knicks on April 18 after the team's seventh straight losing season. The team finished a miserable 23-59, tying a franchise record for most losses in a season, and fans had long been calling, if not screaming, for Thomas' dismissal.
He was replaced by Donnie Walsh as team president, but has remained with the club as a consultant.
Last season was as troubling for Thomas off the court as it was on.
Thomas was found to have sexually harassed a former team employee, feuded with point guard Stephon Marbury and benched center Eddy Curry â?????? the players Thomas acquired in the two biggest of a number of moves that never panned out.
In the sexual harassment case, a jury found Thomas and MSG sexually harassed former team executive Anucha Browne Sanders and ordered the company to pay $11.6 million in damages. Criticized by Al Sharpton and Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer for comments he made in his taped deposition, Thomas seemed downcast during most of training campâ??????and never had much reason for better spirits when the season began.
The Knicks started 2-1, then dropped eight in a row as the Thomas-Marbury feud sent the season spiraling out of control. Marbury responded to Thomas' plans to bench him by skipping a game in Phoenix, and the players reportedly voted to make Marbury sit out a game when he returned. Instead, Thomas played the point guard more than 33 minutes off the bench in a game in Los Angeles against the Clippers.
It soon became obvious that Thomas' draft night acquisition of Zach Randolph had set back Curry, who lost his confidence and later his starting job. Speculation was rampant by Thanksgiving that Thomas' job was in jeopardy, and it only heated up after the Knicks' nationally televised 104-59 loss at Boston on Nov. 29.
Chants of "Fire Isiah!" sometimes started minutes after home games, and even Dolan's strong relationship with Thomas couldn't convince people the coach would last.
Former Knicks President Taken To White Plains Hospital
Reports: Thomas Took 10 Lunesta Pills, But Is 'Fine'
PURCHASE, N.Y. (CBS) â?????? Officers were sent to the home of former New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas early Friday morning in response to a call that he had overdosed on sleeping pills, Harrison Police Chief David Hall confirmed to CBS 2.
Thomas was rushed to White Plains Hospital for treatment, but his condition is not yet known.
"There was a legal prescription, but obviously we're not mind readers, we don't know if there was intent there. You know sometimes people take two and they can't go to sleep and they take two more and they can't go to sleep and before you know it it has affected them," Hall told CBS 2.
Police arrived at Thomas' home shortly after midnight in response to a 911 call from a cell phone and that Thomas' condition was being classified as an overdose.
According to the Daily News, police say the victim consumed "roughly 10 Lunesta sleeping pills."
Barry Watkins, vice president of communications for Madison Square Garden, told The Journal News newspaper, "Isiah is fine."
Thomas was fired by the Knicks on April 18 after the team's seventh straight losing season. The team finished a miserable 23-59, tying a franchise record for most losses in a season, and fans had long been calling, if not screaming, for Thomas' dismissal.
He was replaced by Donnie Walsh as team president, but has remained with the club as a consultant.
Last season was as troubling for Thomas off the court as it was on.
Thomas was found to have sexually harassed a former team employee, feuded with point guard Stephon Marbury and benched center Eddy Curry â?????? the players Thomas acquired in the two biggest of a number of moves that never panned out.
In the sexual harassment case, a jury found Thomas and MSG sexually harassed former team executive Anucha Browne Sanders and ordered the company to pay $11.6 million in damages. Criticized by Al Sharpton and Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer for comments he made in his taped deposition, Thomas seemed downcast during most of training campâ??????and never had much reason for better spirits when the season began.
The Knicks started 2-1, then dropped eight in a row as the Thomas-Marbury feud sent the season spiraling out of control. Marbury responded to Thomas' plans to bench him by skipping a game in Phoenix, and the players reportedly voted to make Marbury sit out a game when he returned. Instead, Thomas played the point guard more than 33 minutes off the bench in a game in Los Angeles against the Clippers.
It soon became obvious that Thomas' draft night acquisition of Zach Randolph had set back Curry, who lost his confidence and later his starting job. Speculation was rampant by Thanksgiving that Thomas' job was in jeopardy, and it only heated up after the Knicks' nationally televised 104-59 loss at Boston on Nov. 29.
Chants of "Fire Isiah!" sometimes started minutes after home games, and even Dolan's strong relationship with Thomas couldn't convince people the coach would last.
