Ranking the greatest Detroit Pistons of all time

From the “Bad Boys” era to the “Going to Work” era, the story of the NBA cannot be told without the Detroit Pistons, one of the league’s founding members. Some of the greatest players in basketball history wore a Pistons uniform, so we decided to rank the Top 5 players to ply their trade in the “Motor City.”

5. Chauncey Billups

Position: Point Guard/Shooting Guard

Years active: 1997-2014

Accolades: 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 2x All-Defensive, 1x NBA Champ, 1x NBA Finals MVP

To earn nicknames like “Mr. Big Shot” and “Smooth,” you have to be awfully good at what you do, and Chauncey Billups was just that.

Billups was well-traveled in an otherwise unremarkable first four years in the NBA, going from Boston to Toronto to Denver to Minnesota. But when he landed in Detroit in 2002 at age 26, things began to click.

Billups averaged 16.5 points and 6.2 assists per game over eight seasons in a Pistons uniform, helping lead the organization to six straight Eastern Conference Finals and an NBA Championship in 2004, where he was named MVP.

4. Bob Lanier

Position: Center

Years active: 1970-1984

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 8x All-Star, 1x All-Rookie, 1x All-Star MVP

The No. 1 overall pick in 1970, Bob Lanier played for some bad Pistons teams over his 10-year tenure in Detroit. However, his statistical accomplishments still stand out.

Lanier is third in franchise history in total points (15,488) and rebounds (8,063), and is fourth in blocks (859). He’s the franchise record-holder in points per game at 22.7.

The eight-time All-Star was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

3. Joe Dumars

Position: Shooting Guard/Point Guard

Years active: 1985-1999

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 6x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 5x All-Defensive, 1x All-Rookie, 2x NBA Champ, 1x NBA Finals MVP

Joe Dumars holds a special place in Pistons lore, and he won titles as both a player (1989, 1990) and an executive (2004).

Dumars spent his entire 14-year career in Detroit, eventually becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (1,018) and made three-pointers (990). Like many of the all-time great Pistons, Dumars was a well-rounded player, as he was named to the All-Defensive team five times.

“Joe D” was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2006.

2. Dave Bing

Position: Point Guard/Shooting Guard

Years active: 1967-1978

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 7x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 1x All-Rookie, 1x Rookie of the Year, 1x Scoring Champ, 1x All-Star MVP

Much like Lanier, whom he played with from 1970 to 1975, Dave Bing was part of some poor Pistons squads. But he was one of Detroit’s most dynamic offensive players of all time.

Bing averaged 22.6 points and 6.4 assists per game in nine seasons in a Pistons uniform. His first two years were particularly strong, as he won Rookie of the Year in 1967 before taking the NBA scoring title in 1968.

Bing received long-overdue Hall of Fame honors in 1990.

1. Isiah Thomas

Position: Point Guard

Years active: 1981-1994

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 12x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 1x All-Rookie, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 2x NBA Champ, 2x All-Star MVP

As the linchpin of the two-time NBA Champion “Bad Boys,” Isiah Thomas is a slam-dunk selection for the greatest Piston of all time.

Thomas played all 13 of his NBA seasons in Detroit, racking up 12 All-Star nods. He’s the Detroit franchise leader in points by a healthy margin over Dumars (18,822 to 16,401) and the runaway leader in assists (9,061 to 4,612, also over Dumars) and steals (1,861, to the 931 of Ben Wallace in second).

“Zeke” did not go on to have success as an executive like Dumars, but his glowing Hall-of-Fame résumé as a player makes him the obvious choice for No. 1 on this list.

Honorable Mentions: Bill Laimbeer, Dave DeBusschere, Grant Hill, Dennis Rodman, Ben Wallace