SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Isaiah Thomas leaned against the scorer's table waiting for the second half to begin when a loudmouthed Sacramento Kings fan approached with a question.

"How tall are you?" the man asked, holding a beer in a clear plastic cup.

"5-9," Thomas responded, reluctantly.

The fan asked twice more. The former Huskies star repeated the answer, raising his voice each time. Finally, the buzzer sounded for the third quarter to begin in Sacramento's game against the Los Angeles Clippers last week, and Thomas just shook his head and walked away.

"No way he's 5-9," the fan said, sipping his beverage. "I think he's 5-7, if that."

When it comes to Thomas' height, even those who root for him might never be satisfied.

Ever since he was a kid, Thomas has heard the questions about his size. And, of course, whether he's related to that Hall of Famer with a similar name (He's not).

Thomas slipped to Sacramento with the 60th and final pick of the NBA draft out of Washington in large part because of his height. With all the attention focused on the team's first-round pick, former Brigham Young sensation Jimmer Fredette, Thomas has been the one who has been nothing, well, short of spectacular.

So why then did every team, including the Kings, pass on Thomas at least once?

"It was one thing: It was my height," Thomas said. "I promise you that's the only thing. There were guards in this draft that I felt like I was better than, that I outplayed, that I outworked, but the height scared them away. Hopefully, in the years to come, I can show them that my height isn't the problem."

So far, so good.

Thomas has taken the starting point guard spot from Fredette and earned Western Conference rookie of the month honors for February.

Thomas plays tough and scrappy, diving for loose balls and squeezing through tight spaces, never afraid to take the big shot or annoy an opposing defender. The diminutive guard has emerged as a fan favorite.

"People start looking at his heart, his desire, his toughness. Those were never in question," Kings coach Keith Smart said.

Thomas tied Otis Birdsong's franchise record for the most points by a Kings rookie in his first five starts (96). Thomas has opened eyes across the NBA for his on-court demeanor.

"He seems to be fearless," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said.

Note

• Dwight Howard had 29 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to a 99-94 win over the host Bulls, snapping Chicago's eight-game winning streak.