Detroit Pistons: Top 10 Fan Favorites
Given that things look fairly bleak early on in the upcoming Detroit Pistons season, and I don't feel like following the lead of the Detroit papers in writing a story about how Chris Wilcox may be the secret weapon of this year's team (are you kidding me?), I will instead choose to take a look back at some better times.
Over the years, Detroit fans have been treated to a number of great players. It's easy to root for great players. Even Florida "sports" fans can root for superstars. But what really distinguishes a fanbase is more about the not so famous players that they embrace.
It is sometimes a mystery why certain players are embraced. Sometimes it is because of their attitude. David Wells was loved because of his brash attitude.
Other times, it is based on the level of effort they put forth on the field. Bobby Higginson became a fan favorite because he reminded many of a previous fan favorite, Kirk Gibson.
The Tigers have had guys like Brandon Inge, Curtis Granderson and Tom Brookens, Darrell Evans and Larry Herndon before them.
The Wings, before the superstar years, had enforcers like Bob Probert and Joey Kocur that were beloved around town.
Even the Lions for all their misery, had guys like Bennie Blades and Jeff Chadwick that you just couldn't help but root for.
The Pistons in particular have had a ton of interesting and charismatic players that the fans have embraced regardless of their skill level.
However, what really seems to endear Pistons fans to their players is their level of intensity. Fans want their players to care about as much as they do about winning. The most popular Pistons of all time have been those that worked harder than everybody else and did the most with the least.
Along the way, some of those fan favorites were able to play themselves into stars, but very few of the biggest fan favorites began that way.
So, without further ado, here are the top 10 fan favorites for the Detroit Pistons.
10.Jerome Williams
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During that horrendous time between the Bad Boys and the title team of 2004, the Pistons could aptly be considered the "teal meal" by opposing teams.
They were perpetual underachievers, boasting one of the great stars of the decade in Grant Hill as well as a cast that had at one point Joe Dumars, Allan Houston, Lindsey Hunter and Jerry Stackhouse.
Aside from Dumars and Hunter, this was not an overly beloved group of players, with disappointments like Terry Mills, Christian Laettner and an injury plagued Loy Vaught.
One bright spot, however, was Jerome Williams, or as Detroit fans came to know him as, the Junkyard Dog.
Williams (or JYD) was a player cut from the mold of the Bad Boys and later Ben Wallace. He was a tireless worker, impressive rebounder and an engaging personality.
No dynamic better sums up Pistons fans like the fact that Williams was clearly more popular in Detroit than Grant Hill.
During his time in Detroit, Williams never averaged more than nine points per game, but was nearly always in the eight to nine rebounds per game range.
Williams was one of the few bright spots for fans during a very forgettable era.
9.Rick Mahorn
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Rick Mahorn is a clear example of someone that became well known less for his basketball exploits and more for his demeanor.
One of the original members of the "Bad Boys" Pistons, Mahorn never averaged more than 11 points and eight rebounds for the Pistons, essentially playing a bench role for Detroit before ultimately leaving during the expansion draft after the Pistons first title in 1989.
After bouncing around from Philly to Jersey, Mahorn again donned the Pistons uniform for a couple seasons in the late 90's before calling it a career in Philadelphia.
Mahorn was the basketball equivalent of a hockey enforcer. It didn't matter if it was Michael Jordan or Charles Barkley; opponents knew that if they drove to the hoop they would feel Mahorn if he was in the game.
Mahorn, like Long before him, also stuck around the Detroit area and has done color commentary for radio and television. Additionally, Mahorn worked as the head coach of the WNBA's Detroit Shock after Bill Laimbeer moved on to the NBA.
Mahorn will always be singled out as a dirty player by his rivals, but the Pistons fans still love him.
8.Vinnie Johnson
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When you look up "instant offense" in the basketball dictionary, there is a picture of this man. Vinnie "the Microwave" Johnson was the quintessential sixth man. With his lightning quick release and ability to use his rock solid 6'3" frame to get to the hoop, Johnson was a nightmare for opposing coaches.
The highlight of his career was his series clinching jumper from the elbow that he made against Portland in the 1990 Finals with 0.07 seconds left.
After Johnson left Detroit, the Pistons tried desperately to replace him with Alvin Robertson and Darrell Walker. Obviously, neither of those guys panned out. In a lot of ways, the Pistons are still trying to replace Johnson.
Regardless, Johnson will always be beloved in Detroit.
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7.Lindsey Hunter
4 of 10Lindsey Hunter is quite the remarkable story in Detroit. He went from draft bust, to fan favorite thanks to re-inventing himself as a defensive stopper.
Detroit loves defense. We are the only fan base that would prefer a grind-it-out defensive stopping team to a quick, up-tempo squad. Hunter typifies this sentiment.
When Hunter was drafted, he was viewed as the heir apparent to Isiah Thomas. But he never really lived up to that unfair billing and flamed out in Detroit. He then hopped around to a few franchises before landing back in Detroit during the 2000's.
When he returned, he had become the best perimeter defender in all of basketball. Hunter became famous during the Pistons title year of 2004 for causing countless back court violations with his on the ball defense. Paired with Mike James, opponents needed all of eight seconds to get the ball past the half court line.
The point is that Hunter gained the fans' love and admiration for his hustle and the fact that he refused to give up.
6.Chauncey Billups
5 of 10You have got to love the story of "Mr. Big Shot."
He was a highly touted college star at Colorado and was a top pick with Boston. However, he flamed out and bounced around until winding up with Minnesota.
While subbing for the injured Terrell Brandon, Billups showed enough to merit a small free agent deal with Detroit.
He struggled at first, but after being paired with Larry Brown, Billups learned how to become a true point guard.
Billups led the Pistons to the 2004 title through his cool, calm and collected demeanor and his controlled play on the court. Not to mention, he had the best jumper on the team.
Sadly, the Pistons parted with Billups way too soon, and it became evident that he was the soul of the squad.
That being said, his story is a great one, and a reason why he is still so loved in Detroit.
5.Joe Dumars
6 of 10Joe Dumars was somewhat of an enigma during his playing days. He was soft spoken and classy on a mean-spirited, tough Bad Boys squad. However, he was anything but soft and was seen by many (including Michael Jordan) as the best on the ball defender of his time.
Dumars could do everything. He had one of the best looking jumpers in the game with its high rainbow arc and sweet follow through. He also could pass, play point guard and lead the team.
After the Bad Boys broke up, Dumars remained and became an excellent spot up shooter, pairing perfectly with Grant Hill.
After he retired, he slid into the front office and built a winner.
Sure, recent seasons have made Dumars a divisive figure, but nobody questions his loyalty and love of the franchise.
4.Bill Laimbeer
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Few players are more divisive than Bill Laimbeer.
Actually, few players were more universally hated outside of Detroit than Laimbeer.
But as is typical of Detroit fans, what others view with disdain, we view with sheer unequivocal love.
Laimbeer, for those that didn't see him play, was very much like a Kevin Love type of player, except with less athleticism.
He was a 6'11" center that probably couldn't jump over the yellow pages. But what he could do was rebound, hit the perimeter jumper and intimidate like few could.
Laimbeer was a fierce competitor, at one point getting into fist fights with anyone from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to Larry Bird.
Few remember how truly gifted of a rebounder he was, leading the league once as well as averaging over 10 per game six times.
Laimbeer even made four All Star teams.
To those outside of Detroit, Laimbeer has become synonymous with dirty play, but like Detroiters would say, if it ain't rough, it ain't right!
3.Dennis Rodman
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Dennis Rodman was the classic example of how hard work and determination could make up for a lack of overall talent. He also is a great example of how a fan favorite could ride the strength of that fan love into stardom.
Rodman was a very late bloomer, growing 10 inches in his late teens before eventually becoming 6'8". He joined a community college in Oklahoma before ending up at Southeastern Oklahoma State.
Rodman eventually was drafted by the Pistons in the second round in 1986. Rodman started out as a brash rookie, mouthing off to Larry Bird and landing in hot water for saying that he was only a three time MVP because he was white.
Rodman was one of the best bench players in NBA history, helping lead Detroit to two titles. He was best known for his crazy hair and rebounding and defensive ability.
Rodman would win back to back Defensive Player of the Year awards as well as two straight rebounding titles before being traded to San Antonio. He would win another five straight rebounding titles on the Spurs and Bulls.
Rodman won another three titles while with the Bulls and eventually retired in 2000 with Dallas.
Rodman has since become one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world, leading to plenty of off the court antics since he retired. He has also had some trouble with the law.
However, Pistons fans will always remember how he turned from a soft talking kid from Texas into one of the greatest defensive players of all time. Rodman was remarkable for his ability to guard anyone on the court, from the point guard to the center and get into his opponent's head.
One of my favorite stories about Rodman was told to me by a former employer of mine, Tim Drost.
Tim was working as a butcher at the time and was invited to watch a Pistons game by one of his meat distributors. After the game, they were eating in one of the private suites when all of a sudden, Rodman appeared. He had been working out after the game and then sprinted up the stairs to the private suite.
Rodman, according to Drost, was just a real nice, normal guy that was only too happy to spend some time with these people, even digging into the food di jour-hot dogs. According to Drost, Rodman scoffed at the way that the butchers were dressing their dogs. He told them "this is how you build it" and proceeded to double up dogs on buns and went to town.
I have heard at least a few other stories about Rodman's generosity, spending hours giving away autographs and spending time with sick children.
Obviously, his post Pistons career was anything but rosy, but for those that he touched in Detroit, he will always be a hero.
2.Ben Wallace
9 of 10Nobody more typifies Detroit basketball than Ben Wallace.
He is the classic case of what makes Detroit sports so unique. He was an undrafted castoff that came to the Pistons as part of the sign and trade for Grant Hill.
And almost instantly, he was more popular than Hill ever was.
In a lot of ways, this is what makes Detroit so special. Hill was one of the top three players in the game when he left the Pistons, yet he never truly was accepted like Wallace.
Wallace couldn't score, couldn't shoot and was a bad passer. Yet he could take over a game on the defensive side of the ball like few others could in the history of the game.
1.Isiah Thomas
10 of 10Just like Ben Wallace, Detroit's relationship with Isiah Thomas is what sets us apart as a franchise.
Thomas is probably the most hated man in basketball. His post playing career has been a train wreck.
Yet, when he comes to Detroit, he is treated like a god.
The diminutive point guard was the toughest guy on the court and didn't back down from anyone. He was the floor general in Detroit and required his teammates to give him all they had.
Playing-wise, few were as gifted as Thomas. He was lightning quick, was a killer clutch scorer and was probably the best ball handler in his generation.
He also is the one superstar that truly was loved by Detroit. He was our answer to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, and we knew that in a street fight, nobody would beat him.
Thomas is truly the most beloved Piston of all time.
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