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Detroit Pistons: 25 Best Players To Play For The Pistons

By Phil Watson

Oct 8, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A general view of The Palace of Auburn Hills prior to the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Brooklyn Nets. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 8, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A general view of The Palace of Auburn Hills prior to the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Brooklyn Nets. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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(Original Caption) Pontiac, Mich.: Detroit Pistons’ Dennis Rodman (L) begins to celebrate as the clock ticks down with the Pistons winning 113-105 against the Boston Celtics. Celtic Danny Ainge (R) takes a different perspective as the Pistons forced a seventh game against Boston. Pistons wearing white with red and blue. Celtics wearing white on green.
(Original Caption) Pontiac, Mich.: Detroit Pistons’ Dennis Rodman (L) begins to celebrate as the clock ticks down with the Pistons winning 113-105 against the Boston Celtics. Celtic Danny Ainge (R) takes a different perspective as the Pistons forced a seventh game against Boston. Pistons wearing white with red and blue. Celtics wearing white on green. /

Dennis Rodman. 10. player. 64. <strong>How acquired:</strong> 2nd-round pick from Southeastern Oklahoma State, 1986 NBA Draft.. SF-PF.

Southeastern Oklahoma State isn’t generally on the radar when it comes to college basketball, but when a guy is a three-time NAIA All-American averaging 25.7 points and 15.7 rebounds per game over three seasons, he’s probably worth a look.

The Detroit Pistons took a look at Dennis Rodman, taking him in the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft, and he turned into one of the best players not taken in the first round in  the history of the NBA.

DET_10_RODMAN
DET_10_RODMAN /

Rodman was a rotational reserve as a rookie before expanding into a sixth-man/part-time starter role with the Pistons for their run of three straight NBA Finals appearances and back-to-back championships.

In the 1988 NBA Finals, Rodman averaged 7.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 24.9 minutes per game while shooting .629/—/.524 in a seven-game loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The following year in a rematch with the Lakers, he put up 5.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game, shooting 7-for-15/0-for-1/7-for-13 in a four-game sweep that gave the franchise its first NBA title.

Against the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1990 NBA Finals, Rodman missed Game 3 and was slowed the entire series by a sprained ankle, averaging 2.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game on 4-for-9/—/1-for-4 shooting in the Pistons’ five-game victory.

He moved into the starting lineup in 1990-91 and remained there. He was the Defensive Player of the Year in the NBA in 1989-90 and 1990-91, was All-NBA in 1991-92 and was named All-Defensive five times while with the Pistons, earning All-Star bids in 1990 and 1992.

Rodman led the NBA in rebounding in 1991-92 and 1992-93, finishing second in 1990-91, and also led the circuit in field-goal percentage in 1988-89. He was third in minutes per game in 1991-92, as well.

He missed 20 games in 1992-93 due to personal issues, however, and his behavior off the court became more volatile, culminating with an incident in April 1993 where he was in his pickup in the parking lot of the Palace of Auburn Hills with a rifle, contemplating suicide.

In October 1993, Rodman was traded with Isaiah Morris, a 1994 second-round pick and a first-rounder in 1996 to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Sean Elliott, David Wood and a first-round selection in 1996.

In seven seasons in Detroit, Rodman averaged 8.8 points and 11.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes per game while shooting .537/.253/.592.

With San Antonio, Rodman was named All-NBA in 1994-95 and All-Defensive in both 1993-94 and 1994-95, leading the NBA in rebounding each season.

He was traded to the Chicago Bulls in October 1995, where he was named All-Defensive in 1995-96 and led the NBA in rebounding three straight seasons (1995-96 through 1997-98), helping Chicago win three straight NBA titles.

Released by the Bulls after the lockout in January 1999, Rodman signed with the Lakers in April 1999.

He was idle until February 2000 before signing with the Dallas Mavericks, but was waived in March 2000.

Rodman retired after his release, but did come back to play three seasons in the American Basketball Association, as well as brief stints in Finland and the United Kingdom.

Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011, Rodman is 22nd in NBA history with 11,954 rebounds and 10th with an average of 13.1 rebounds per game.

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