Guess Who’s The Greatest Detroit Piston Of All Time
Greg Kelser, Rod Beard rank greatest Detroit Pistons of all time.
The Pistons franchise dates back to the 1948-49 season, with several players who made their mark in the NBA in the ensuing decades. The team has had its share of star players, including those who contributed to the three championships.
In sifting through those stars, ranking the top 10 is a challenge and an exercise in trying to differentiate between players who may not have been the league’s superstars but are fixtures in the minds of Pistons fans through the team’s heyday.
The two championship teams — the “Bad Boys” from 1989 and 1990 and the “Goin’ to Work” squad from 2004 — are represented well, with six of the 10 players coming from those eras.
Former Piston Greg Kelser, who is an analyst for Fox Sports Detroit, provided his input and commentary on his top 10 all-time Pistons as well.
1. Isiah Thomas, guard
Seasons with Pistons: 1981-94
Pistons career stats: 19.2 points, 9.3 assists, 1.9 steals, 979 games
Accolades: Hall of Fame, Top 50 players of All Time, 1990 Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, two-time All-Star MVP, five-time All-NBA
Beard’s take: Thomas was the backbone of the “Bad Boys” championship teams and is often underrated as one of the best point guards of all time. His performance, despite a severe ankle injury, against the Lakers in the 1988 Finals is part of Pistons lore. Thomas remains the franchise leader in points (18,822), steals (1,861) and assists (9,061). He averaged 13.9 assists in 1985 — the highest in NBA history at the time — and third-highest in league history.
