Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is an American former professional basketball player, former coach, and former executive who most recently served as President of Basketball Operations for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "The Hick from French Lick," Bird has been described as one of the greatest basketball players and greatest shooters of all time.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and plays its home games at Little Caesars Arena. The team was founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne (Zollner) Pistons in 1941, a member of the National Basketball League (NBL) where it won two NBL championships: in 1944 and 1945. The Pistons later joined the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1948. The NBL and BAA merged to become the NBA in 1949, and the Pistons became part of the merged league. Since moving to Detroit in 1957, the Pistons have won three NBA championships: in 1989, 1990 and 2004.
Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Abdul Wallace is an American retired professional basketball player who played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A native of Philadelphia, Wallace played college basketball at the University of North Carolina before moving on to the NBA in 1995.
Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has also served as head coach of the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. As a player, Carlisle played for the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets. He is also one of only 11 people to win an NBA championship both as a player and as a coach.
2003 NBA draft
The 2003 NBA draft was held on June 26, 2003, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The NBA announced that 41 college and high school players and a record 31 international players had filed as early-entry candidates for the 2003 NBA draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had a 22.50 percent probability of obtaining the first selection, won the NBA draft lottery on May 22, and Cleveland chairman Gordon Gund said afterward his team would select LeBron James. The Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets were second and third respectively.
Richard Hamilton (basketball)
Richard Clay "Rip" Hamilton is an American retired professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Hamilton is best known for his nine-year stint with the Detroit Pistons, where he was a three-time All-Star. He helped lead the Pistons to six straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances, back to back NBA Finals appearances, their best record in franchise history and the 2004 NBA championship.
Tayshaun Prince
Tayshaun Durell Prince is an American professional basketball executive and former player. The 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) small forward graduated from Dominguez High School before playing college basketball for the University of Kentucky. He was drafted 23rd overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2002 NBA draft and went on to win a championship with the team in 2004.
Pacers–Pistons brawl
The Pacers–Pistons brawl, colloquially known as the Malice at the Palace, was an altercation that occurred in a National Basketball Association (NBA) game between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons on November 19, 2004, at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The Associated Press (AP) called it "the most infamous brawl in NBA history", while the media has dubbed it the "worst night in NBA history".
Mehmet Okur
Mehmet Murat Okur is a Turkish retired professional basketball player. Listed at 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m), he played as a power forward and center. He was known for his three-point shooting and ability to space the floor. In his 7 seasons with the Utah Jazz, Mehmet Okur emerged as one of the premier shooting players in the NBA. From 2004-10 Okur displayed a talent for making big shots in pressure situations - earning him the nickname of "The Money Man" and "Memo is Money" amongst Jazz fans. On 13 September 2016, Okur was named a player development coach for the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first Turkish citizen to enter the coaching world in the NBA.
Quentin Richardson
Quentin L. Richardson is an American retired professional basketball player, formerly was the director of player development for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Richardson played professionally for 13 seasons for the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic. He won the NBA Three-Point Shootout in 2005.
Amir Johnson
Amir Jalla Johnson is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has previously played for the Detroit Pistons, the team that selected Johnson in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft, as well as the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics.
Danny Granger
Danny Granger Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who played 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2005 after a two-year college stint at New Mexico. In 2009, Granger averaged 26 points per game on 45 percent shooting and was named an All-Star and the league's Most Improved Player. An injury to his left knee limited Granger to just five games during the 2012–13 season, and in February 2014, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He went on to play for the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat before having short stints with the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons in 2015.
Ersan İlyasova
Ersan İlyasova is a Turkish professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has previously played in Turkey, Spain and the NBA Development League.
Chase Budinger
Chase Andrew Budinger is an American professional volleyball player and former professional basketball player who last played for Baskonia of the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. He was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 44th overall pick in 2009 NBA draft after playing three years of college basketball for the University of Arizona.
Josh Smith
Joshua Smith is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Entering the NBA straight out of high school, Smith played nine seasons with the Atlanta Hawks before playing for the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers between 2013 and 2016. He is sometimes referred to by his nickname "J-Smoove".
Adonis Thomas
Adonis Michael Thomas is an American professional basketball player for Medi Bayreuth of the Basketball Bundesliga. He played college basketball for the University of Memphis.
Stanley Johnson (basketball)
Stanley Herbert Johnson Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats before being selected eighth overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2015 NBA draft.
Luke Kennard (basketball)
Luke Douglas Kennard is an American professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils.