Boston Celtics 5-foot-9 point guard Isaiah Thomas has repeatedly professed his admiration for Allen Iverson and, on the morning of Iverson's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Thomas again gushed about the inspiration that the generously-listed-as-6-foot Iverson provided for him.

"It’s a big honor for him, not just him, but everybody that looked up to him," Thomas told reporters while volunteering to help revitalize East Boston's McKay School on Friday morning. "He’s pound for pound the best player to ever play the game, in my eyes, and, on the court, I definitely want to be just like him."

Thomas got a chance to meet Iverson in Philadelphia last month and emerged with an autographed jersey. Posting a picture of the two together, Thomas wrote on Instagram, "There will never be another Allen Iverson but I'm for damn sure going to be the closest thing to you."

He reaffirmed that statement Friday while reflecting on Iverson's induction.

"He told me I’m cut from the same cloth as him," said Thomas. "I go about my ways the same way he did, and now that he’s told me that, nobody can tell me anything. So that’s a check off my list, that he approves of my game. He’s really a fan of, not just me as a basketball player, but me as a person. And that says a lot because I followed every footstep that he took and I want to be just like him."

Thomas earned his first All-Star nod last season and has repeatedly stated he wants to be the best player under 6 feet in league history. Only one player in league history has made the Hall of Fame at less than 72 inches: 5-foot-9 Calvin Murphy.