Thomas is participating in his final All-Star Game of his career.
Just a few years ago, this Pistons leader was making waves in the league.
In just a year or two, with the decline of the Pistons, his presence in the league has faded.
Chuck Daly resigned and left, Lambier aged, and Melvin Turpin started gaining weight.
In fact, the core framework of the Pistons is still there, and Thomas is only 31, supposedly at the peak of a player's career.
But ever since he was excluded from the Dream Team by Jordan and others during the 1992 Olympics, Thomas lost his spirit.
Coupled with the league's suppression, the Pistons' notorious style of play was stifled, and they were completely out of the championship race.
The smile on his face wasn't as charming as before, and this year, the Pistons are even struggling to make it to the playoffs.
When Gan Guoyang went to Detroit for a game, he could feel that the Pistons, like the city, were heading toward decline.
