Pictures hold a great deal of power, especially in today’s fast-paced media landscape.
One photo can create multiple different perceptions about a person—good or bad. And when former All-NBA guard Isiah Thomas saw the picture chosen for his interview on Tuesday’s episode of ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill and Maxshow, he was not thrilled about the network’s photo choice.
Thomas did not like the picture because it made him look mean and bitter. ESPN’s Keyshawn Johnson and Max Kellerman initially thought Thomas was joking about his displeasure of the photo because of his laughter while discussing the issue on air.
During the interview, a producer with the show changed the photo, putting in one of Thomas at the foul line. However, it appeared that Thomas was still not pleased with the new photo as moments later, the two-time NBA champion hung up on his interview because of what he considered disrespect from Kellerman and Johnson.
Thomas did end up calling back seconds later, but the entire exchange was rather awkward. Here’s a look at the initial back-and-forth over the photo:
Isiah Thomas hung up on 'Keyshawn, JWill and Max' because he was unhappy about the show's picture choice of him. He called back seconds later. pic.twitter.com/7vgngFKsWB
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 12, 2023
Some may argue that Thomas was being over the top about his photo shown for the interview. However, a picture can carry powerful connotations as Johnson and Kellerman discussed in detail later in the show.
Keyshawn Johnson and Max Kellerman continued the conversation about Isiah Thomas and the picture later in the show. pic.twitter.com/to0fozgXjl
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 12, 2023
Though it was seemingly a humorous exchange, Thomas simply wanted people watching the interview to see a good, quality image of him. All in all, the interview ended up leading to a rather interesting conversation about selecting photos and what those pictures might convey.
