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Detroit Pistons: 10 best rookie seasons in franchise history

By Amaar Burton

AUBURN HILLS, MI - MAY 18: Grant Hill #33 of the Detroit Pistons is presented the 1995 Rookie of the Year Award on May 18, 1995 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Lou Capozzola/NBAE via Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, MI - MAY 18: Grant Hill #33 of the Detroit Pistons is presented the 1995 Rookie of the Year Award on May 18, 1995 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Lou Capozzola/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Pistons’ Dave Bing (21) drives past Trail Blazers’ Bill Walton (32), on his way to an easy basket during the first half of the Detroit-Portland game.
Pistons’ Dave Bing (21) drives past Trail Blazers’ Bill Walton (32), on his way to an easy basket during the first half of the Detroit-Portland game. /

2. Dave Bing (1966-67)

The first real superstar that the Pistons ever had, Dave Bing was also the first Piston to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.

After the Knicks passed on Bing — who had played his college ball at nearby Syracuse — with the No. 1 pick in the 1966 NBA Draft, Detroit took the 6’3″ guard with the No. 2 pick to form an explosive backcourt with Eddie Miles, a.k.a. “The Man With The Golden Arm.”

In Bing’s rookie season, he averaged 20.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. (Miles scored 17.6 points, while future Hall of Fame forward and player/coach Dave DeBusschere chipped in 18.2 points and 11.8 rebounds.)

Bing’s exploits included a 47-point game against the Baltimore Bullets, two games of 30-plus points against the Jerry West-led Los Angeles Lakers, and a couple of shootouts against Rick Barry and the San Francisco Warriors in which Bing scored 30-plus points.

The Pistons only won 30 games and missed the playoffs, but Bing was voted Rookie of the Year.

The following year, Bing led the NBA in total points (2,142), beating out Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain in that category and finishing second to Oscar Robertson in scoring average. Bing put up 27.1 points per game.

Bing played nine seasons in Detroit, making six All-Star Game appearances and earning three All-NBA nods. Those Pistons teams weren’t very good, only making the playoffs three times. but Bing more than pulled his weight. He was traded to the Washington Bullets in 1975, with whom he made his last All-Star appearance before finishing his career with the Celtics.

Bing was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and was named to the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players list for the league’s 50th anniversary in 1996. He’s also in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and his No. 22 jersey is retired at Syracuse while his No. 21 jersey is retired by the Pistons.

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