Washington native Isaiah Thomas helps to prove 'disability is not inability' at Hoopfest

H-O-R-S-E and you're out.

It may seem unfair to pit anyone against an NBA player in a game of H-O-R-S-E, but popular point guard Isaiah Thomas had his work cut out for him on Sunday when he went up against Philip Croft at Hoopfest in Spokane, Washington.

Croft, a wheelchair basketball player, posed a new challenge for Thomas, who took several shots from a chair of his own.

"When I had to sit in the chair and shoot the basketball, you see how strong they are, how strong your core has to be and your upper body strength to be able to get the ball to the hoop," Thomas told AOL.com on behalf of Guardian.

Thomas eventually came out with the win, but the battle with Croft left him marinating on a thoughtful message: disability is not inability. Just as Thomas, the shortest player in the NBA, has to figure out creative ways to use his height to his advantage, he says wheelchair basketball players are able to use their chairs to their advantage, as well – especially due to their elevated core and upper body strength.

"You're able to do anything you put your mind to no matter what the circumstance is," he said after the game against Croft. "They're still going out to compete, having fun, playing hard. That's the biggest thing."

Thomas, who has been recovering from a hip injury and hasn't played a full NBA season since 2016, has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Washington Wizards. Days before the deal was announced, Thomas tweeted that all he wanted was a "legit opportunity" to get back to the player he once was.