NBA legend Isiah Thomas reveals personal health struggles

National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Isiah Thomas recently revealed that he has been diagnosed with Bell's palsy.

He did so, according to the New York Post, on Friday.

As we will see, Thomas has made it clear that he is ready to do what he can to fight the disease.

And, he has the NBA community behind him.

The details:

Thomas revealed his Bell's palsy diagnosis during a recent appearance on Marc Jackson's Come and Talk 2 Me show.

There, he said:

I’ve gotten a lot of love from people saying, ‘Well, Isiah’s sick. What is he going through?' I haven’t really told anybody, but I’ve got Bell’s palsy. … That’s why you see me like this. I appreciate the prayers and the love. That’s what’s happening with my mouth right now. I just wanted everyone to know that.

For those unfamiliar with Bell's Palsy, it is a neurological condition.

The Mayo Clinic explains:

Bell's palsy is a condition that causes sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face. Often the weakness is short-term and improves over weeks. The weakness makes half of the face appear to droop. Smiles are one-sided, and the eye on the affected side is hard to close.

There are still many unknowns about the disease. The outlet adds, "Symptoms usually start to improve within a few weeks, with complete recovery in about six months. A small number of people continue to have some Bell's palsy symptoms for life."

"I ain't taking off"

Thomas, who is a studio analyst for NBA TV, has indicated that he is not going to let the illness slow him down.

He said:

I'm dealing with it, I'm showing up, I ain't taking off. But I just wanted everybody to know that I appreciate your prayers and thank you for everything.

Thomas is an NBA Hall of Famer and a multiple-time champion.

The Post reports that Thomas won two NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons. But, his basketball career did not stop when he retired from the NBA. "He went on to coach the Knicks, Pacers and Florida Atlantic. He was also the team president of the Knicks, Raptors and the Liberty," the outlet reports.

The outlet also notes that Thomas is not the only sports figure player to recently come down with Bell's Palsy. The Post notes "76ers’ Joel Embiid, former NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez, former NBA star Evan Turner, and famed pro wrestling announcer Jim Ross have all opened up about dealing with the condition."