You can't talk about the NBA without mentioning the Detroit Pistons franchise. The Motor City organization has won three NBA championships, compiled over 2,750 wins in the regular season and been home to some of the deadliest players in basketball history.
For this piece, we'll be taking a look at the five best Pistons players of all time.
5. Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups averaged 16.5 points and 6.2 assists in 482 games with the Pistons. He made three All-Star teams with Detroit and won the 2004 Finals MVP after the Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
Nicknamed “Mr. Big Shot,” Billups' No. 1 jersey is retired by Detroit. He's fourth in franchise history in assists with 2,984.
4. Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer put up 13.5 points and 10.1 rebounds in 937 games with the Pistons. He made four All-Star teams and captured two championships during the “Bad Boy” days.
Laimbeer is third in Detroit franchise in games played, third in minutes played, fifth in field goals, first in total rebounds, fifth in blocks, fifth in points and first in win-shares.
3. Bob Lanier
Bob Lanier averaged 22.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 681 games with the Pistons over 10 seasons. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.
Nicknamed “Dobber,” Lanier is second in Detroit history in field goals, fourth in free-throws, third in points, first in points per game and first in player efficiency rating.
2. David Bing
In 675 games for the Pistons, David Bing put up 22.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists over nine seasons. He won the 1967 Rookie of the Year Award with Detroit, made the Hall of Fame in 1990 and is one of the top 50 players of all time.
Bing is the Pistons' fourth-leading scorer.
1. Isiah Thomas
“Zeke” is not only the best player in Pistons history, but he's universally recognized as the second-greatest point guard in NBA history behind only Magic Johnson.
Thomas, a Chicago native, averaged 19.2 points, 9.3 assists and 1.9 steals in 979 games with the Pistons. He was a 12-time All-Star, two-time champion and the 1990 Finals MVP.
Thomas is first in Detroit franchise history in minutes played, field goals, free-throws, assists, steals and points.