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How NBA Legend Isiah Thomas Is Rewriting the Rules of Wealth, Industry, and the American Dream

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — There is something tender and knowing in the way Isiah Thomas speaks about the earth. It is the tenderness of a man who understands struggle and sunlight, who respects what grows slowly and what survives storms.

Published

11 months ago

November 17, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

There is something tender and knowing in the way Isiah Thomas speaks about the earth. It is the tenderness of a man who understands struggle and sunlight, who respects what grows slowly and what survives storms. When he began describing how his journey into renewable materials first took root, he started not with profit sheets or projections, but with the living world beneath our feet.

“I began by understanding the plants and the soil,” Thomas told Black Press USA. “Rice, corn, soy, all of these crops work directly with the earth. They are biofeed. They speak to the ground.”

He said he watched how these plants responded to wind, water, and purpose. He spoke of them almost like kin. “They show you what they can become if you pay attention,” the NBA Hall of Famer stated. “They show you how to live with the earth instead of against it.”

From those thoughts came a deeper question. Thomas wanted to know how to reduce plastic use during a time when industries across the world were scrambling to shrink their carbon footprints. “I began looking at how we take carbon out of the system, how we reduce plastics, and whether there was something in these natural fibers that could answer that call,” he said.

He hired engineers. He worked with Stellantis. He poured time and thought into a field most people in his world did not consider. “There were a lot of research moments, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of failures,” Thomas acknowledged. “But eventually, we got it. And once we got it, we patented the process and started moving it into automotive.”

That path led to a milestone no NBA player had ever reached. Thomas became the first in league history to hold majority control of a publicly traded company, guiding One World Products into its transition as Isiah Enterprises, a clean-tech leader rooted in renewable materials and sustainable production.

His rise in business leadership began with a near-failing facility in Midland, Michigan. Eco Bio Plastics Midland was close to bankruptcy. Thomas said he saw more than broken machines and struggling workers. “When I looked at that place, I saw a chance to rebuild something. I saw possibility,” he explained.

He bought it. He nurtured it. And under his direction, the company expanded into advanced materials used in vehicles, reusable containers, and packaging solutions. The transformation became the foundation of Isiah Enterprises.

The company began gaining ground. It shipped over 100,000 pounds of pelletized rubber compounds from the Michigan facility, proving that sustainable manufacturing could be scaled with precision and care. “This milestone represents more than just output,” Thomas declared. “It tells us the strategy works.”

The growth continued as One World expanded its Eco Bio Plastics division through a compounding partnership with Full Circle Technologies. “We are processing tens of thousands of pounds of renewable materials every week,” Thomas proclaimed. The expansion opened doors to a massive global packaging industry valued in the trillions and built on earlier successes, including hemp-based reusable containers delivered to Flex-N-Gate in collaboration with ORBIS and West Michigan Compounding.

The two-time NBA champion’s leadership in sustainable innovation stretches back further. He stepped in as CEO of One World Pharma in 2020, bringing with him relationships across continents and a commitment to working honorably with indigenous communities in Colombia. He said the company had “deep commitment to excellence and humanitarian partnership.”

To secure the future he envisioned, Thomas increased his own investment in the company while working alongside institutional backers who believed in the mission. “I wanted to make sure we had the capital we needed to grow responsibly,” the all-time great Detroit Pistons floor general said. He added that long-term supporters helped restructure debt and strengthen operations.

Yet the story that holds his heart rests with family. When asked whether he always dreamed of leading a public company, he shook his head. “It wasn’t always part of the plan,” Thomas related. “What was always part of the plan was uplifting my family out of generational poverty.”

He said some nieces, nephews, and cousins still struggle. The knowledge grounds him. It gives weight to each decision. “I started looking at the penny stock differently,” Thomas said. “I thought about people buying in for one, two, or five dollars. I thought about what that could mean for families like mine.”

He spoke with the memory of someone who has watched wealth pass through other communities without stopping in his own. “We never get a chance to participate at the ground level,” he said. “The only time we get to play with that kind of money is the lottery. But what if instead of buying tickets, we bought shares? What if we became shareholders and not ticket holders?”

Thomas noted that he watches how wealthy families give stock to their children every holiday. “They pass out stock,” he said. “They stuff the stockings with stock. And by the time those kids are in high school, it is worth something. I want that for other families too.”

His long-term dream is bold. “My goal is to be the first NBA player to uplift a company to the NASDAQ,” Thomas said. “If we take this stock from two cents to a dollar, people can do the math. They will know what it means.”

The challenge now is spreading the word and delivering the applications that industries are demanding. “The automotive and food packaging worlds are calling for alternatives,” he continued. “We have come up with several applications already. Now I have to make sure we execute.”

With a calm that feels both gentle and resolute, Thomas looked toward the horizon of his new work. And with the same tone he used many times on the court when victory required faith, he said, “Now I have to come up with the applications to do it.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

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Smooth Ride! Car Suspension & Comfort Tested #shorts

Smooth suspension meets surprisingly spacious legroom. Experience true comfort on any road!

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2 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Car suspension test demonstrating a smooth ride, comfort features, and handling on various terrains.

Experience the difference smooth suspension makes on rough streets. Check out the surprisingly good second-row legroom – test it yourself for true comfort.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/l9Z571za5Gc

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61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Houston leaders discuss the ongoing struggle for civil rights 61 years after Selma, emphasizing the need for continued action.

It has been 61 years since the Selma marches. But political leaders in Houston say that the issues protesters were marching for still plague the lives of Black Americans.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

2 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.