Each Team’s All-NBA First Team: A 30 Part Series- Part 13 The Detroit Pistons
With the hype of the offseason coming to an end, I have decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to examine each team’s specific All-NBA First Team. What I mean by this is- following the criteria set by the NBA for the All-NBA Team rules, I will examine and elaborate on my picks for each team’s specific All-NBA First Team.
G- Isiah Thomas: 1981–1994
When you think of the “Bad Boy” Pistons of the 80s and 90s, you think of Isiah Thomas. Despite his small stature, Thomas embodied everything that encompassed those Pistons’ teams. He was a general on the floor- his tough on-court demeanor and physical play style made him the perfect leader for the “Bad Boys”.
Thomas spent his entire 13-year career with the Pistons making the playoffs in nine of those seasons, and ultimately winning two NBA championships. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in assists, points, and steals.
Thomas was not only the best player on his team, but he was also among the best players in the entire NBA. He was named to five All-NBA Teams (3x First Team, 2x Second Team) and made the All-Star team in all but one of his seasons. He led the NBA in total assists twice and finished in the top ten, ten times.
His best regular season in terms of individual success came during the 1984–1985 season, a season in which he led the NBA in assists per game at 13.9 (a franchise single season record), and his 21.2 points per game were his third highest single game average during his career.
The Pistons had immense success with Thomas at the helm, consistently finishing the regular season and post season alongside the likes of the best teams in the NBA. Thomas and the Pistons finally got passed the Celtics in 1988, advancing to the NBA finals for the first time since 1956. Although they lost, the team would go onto to win the next two NBA championships, with Thomas taking home the MVP award in 1990.
G- Joe Dumars: 1985–1999
Thomas’s backcourt running mate, Joe Dumars was no slouch himself. Dumars, who is also in the Basketball Hall Of Fame, perfectly complemented Thomas’s play style. Dumars came into the league as a three-point shooter, but left the league as a much more complete player. He had the ability to play both the shooting guard and point guard position, allowing the Pistons to have success even in the absence of Thomas.
Dumars spent his entire career with the Pistons, and is the team’s all-time leader in games played and three pointers made. During his career Dumars made six All-Star appearances and three All-NBA Teams (1x Second Team, 2x Third Team). Like Thomas, Dumars was a prolific defender, which only added to the “Bad Boy” Pistons reputation as one of the best defensive team’s of all-time.
The definitive moment of his career came during the 1989 finals, a series in which he was named Finals’ MVP. In that series Dumars was fantastic, averaging a career best for any playoff series 27.3 points per game.
After Thomas’s retirement in 1994, Dumars took over as the face of the franchise leading them back to the playoffs after a three-year hiatus.
F- Richard Hamilton: 2002–2011
Alongside Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace, Richard (Rip) Hamilton embodied what it meant to be a Detroit Piston- a tough on-court demeanor, a tenacious defender, and a “never-give up” attitude.
Hamilton spent the prime of his career in Detroit, making all three of his All-Star appearances during that time. Hamilton was often relied upon as the go to scorer for the team. During his time in Detroit, Hamilton led the team in total points, leading the team in points per game in almost every season.
He was a crucial cog to the Pistons’ success during the 2000s. During that time the Pistons were perennial playoff contenders, making the NBA finals twice, winning in 2004.
F- Dennis Rodman: 1986–1993
He might be known more for his days with the Chicago Bulls, but Dennis Rodman was no slouch during his days with the Pistons, in fact, I would argue he was an all-around better player. Both of his All-Star appearances came as a member of the Pistons. He was a member of the All-NBA Third Team in 1992 and he made five consecutive All-NBA Defensive First Teams from 1989 to 1993. Rodman led the NBA in total rebounds during his time in Detroit; finishing first in total rebounds three times. He is responsible for the two highest single-season rebounds per game average in franchise history (18.7 in 1992, 18.3 in 1993).
Like Thomas and Dumars, Rodman was a perfect member of the “Bad Boy” Pistons. Not only did he have a reputation of playing tough and gritty on the floor, but also his reputation off the floor fit the team.
Rodman was part of the Pistons’ back-to-back championship teams, playing crucial roles in both of those series, leading all players in total rebounds.
In his six seasons with the Pistons, Rodman established himself as the NBA’s best rebounder. Unlike his contemporaries, Rodman took pride in his ability to rebound and defend. He didn’t care about scoring and that is what made him the perfect fit for the “Bad Boy” Pistons.
C- Ben Wallace: 2000–2006, 2009–2012
Like the majority of the greatest Pistons’ players of all-time, Ben Wallace was a defensive first player, who played with a demeanor that the likes of a middle linebacker would have. Wallace spent the prime of his career with the Pistons, making all four of his All-Star and all five of his All-NBA Team (3x Second Team, 2x Third Team) appearances in his first stint with the team. Wallace was the anchor of the Pistons’ tremendous defense, a defense that routinely finished near the top of the league in almost every defensive category. Wallace led the NBA in total rebounds, rebounds per game, total blocks, and blocks per game multiple times while playing in Detroit. He won four defensive player of the year awards in a span of five years.
Wallace was a crucial part of the Pistons success during the 2000s. The team made the playoffs in five of his first six seasons with the team, reaching the NBA finals twice, winning in 2004.
Wallace is the team’s career leader in blocked shots, and his 2.3 blocks per game is the highest single game average for any Pistons’ player.
