Best draft picks in Detroit Pistons history
The draft is a seminal moment for many incoming players. Putting aside competitive stakes, each young athlete's life is irreversibly altered by the fame and fortune that comes with being an NBA player. The exorbitant contract values ensures these players almost never have to worry about personal finances. Plus, these young guns get to play alongside some of their basketball idols for a living. With these high stakes, it's easy to see why the draft is so revered.
Likewise, the fortunes of a city and franchise can be completely transformed by a draft pick. LeBron James, for instance, brought Cleveland its first sports championship in 52 years and was also to the city's downtown economy. It almost goes without saying that Michael Jordan built the Chicago Bulls from the ground up into a championship team whose dynamic would reverberate through the decades.
With that in mind, compiled a list of the best draft picks in Detroit Pistons history using data from . Players were ranked according to a formula that approximates their career achievements, career value, and play quality. The formula encompasses Basketball-Reference.com's , career win shares, and value over replacement player, aka VORP. For players drafted before data is available for VORP, half of the player's win shares were used in its place to calculate their 爆料TV score. Basketball Hall of Fame inductees were given a minimum of 60% for their Hall of Fame probability, indicating a worthy r茅sum茅 for their time but not up to par with some modern players. Scores were normalized to 100 based on the scoring leader. Keep reading to see where your favorite players fall on the list.
#50. Carlos Delfino
- 爆料TV score: 5.4
- 25th overall pick in 2003
- Played three seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 8.1 PTS, 3.6 REB, 1.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 22.5 win shares, 0.5 box plus/minus, 7.2 VORP
#49. John Long
- 爆料TV score: 5.4
- 29th overall pick in 1978
- Played nine seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 13.6 PTS, 2.8 REB, 1.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 32.0 win shares, -1.3 box plus/minus, 3.7 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1989 NBA Champ
#48. Ben Poquette
- 爆料TV score: 5.7
- 36th overall pick in 1977
- Played two seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 6.8 PTS, 5.2 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 30.4 win shares, -0.7 box plus/minus, 5.3 VORP
#47. Luke Kennard
- 爆料TV score: 5.8
- 12th overall pick in 2017
- Played three seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 9.6 PTS, 2.8 REB, 2.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 28.1 win shares, 0.0 box plus/minus, 6.3 VORP
#46. Jim Davis
- 爆料TV score: 5.8
- 29th overall pick in 1964
- Played three seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 6.7 PTS, 5.2 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 19.2 win shares
#45. Darwin Cook
- 爆料TV score: 6.2
- 70th overall pick in 1980
- Career averages: 9.5 PTS, 2.1 REB, 3.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 22.9 win shares, 0.6 box plus/minus, 9.4 VORP
#44. Jalen Duren
- 爆料TV score: 6.4
- 13th overall pick in 2022
- Played four seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 13.5 PTS, 10.3 REB, 2.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 29.5 win shares, 2.0 box plus/minus, 7.5 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2025-26 All-NBA
--- 1x All Star
#43. Bonzi Wells
- 爆料TV score: 6.6
- 11th overall pick in 1998
- Career averages: 12.1 PTS, 4.6 REB, 2.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 29.4 win shares, 0.2 box plus/minus, 8.3 VORP
#42. Antoine Carr
- 爆料TV score: 6.8
- Eighth overall pick in 1983
- Career averages: 9.3 PTS, 3.4 REB, 1.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 42.1 win shares, -1.2 box plus/minus, 4.1 VORP
#41. Johnny Egan
- 爆料TV score: 7.1
- 17th overall pick in 1961
- Played two seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 7.8 PTS, 1.8 REB, 3.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 23.7 win shares
#40. Joe Caldwell
- 爆料TV score: 7.2
- Second overall pick in 1964
- Played one season with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 16.1 PTS, 5.3 REB, 3.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 23.9 win shares
- Accolades
--- 2x All-Defensive
--- 4x All Star
#39. Eddie Miles
- 爆料TV score: 7.3
- Fourth overall pick in 1963
- Played six seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 13.4 PTS, 3.1 REB, 2.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 24.4 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#38. Jerome Williams
- 爆料TV score: 7.4
- 26th overall pick in 1996
- Played four seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 6.6 PTS, 6.4 REB, 0.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 37.9 win shares, 0.3 box plus/minus, 7.4 VORP
#37. Spencer Dinwiddie
- 爆料TV score: 7.4
- 38th overall pick in 2014
- Played two seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 13.0 PTS, 3.0 REB, 5.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 36.0 win shares, -0.1 box plus/minus, 8.1 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 0.0%
#36. Otto Moore
- 爆料TV score: 7.4
- Sixth overall pick in 1968
- Played three seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 8.2 PTS, 8.2 REB, 1.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 24.7 win shares
#35. Lindsey Hunter
- 爆料TV score: 7.5
- 10th overall pick in 1993
- Played 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 8.5 PTS, 2.2 REB, 2.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 32.9 win shares, -0.4 box plus/minus, 9.4 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
#34. Micheal Williams
- 爆料TV score: 7.5
- 48th overall pick in 1988
- Played one season with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 11.0 PTS, 2.5 REB, 5.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 28.5 win shares, 2.3 box plus/minus, 11.2 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1989 NBA Champ
--- 1991-92 All-Defensive
#33. Cliff Levingston
- 爆料TV score: 8.3
- Ninth overall pick in 1982
- Played two seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 7.1 PTS, 5.2 REB, 0.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 44.2 win shares, -0.2 box plus/minus, 7.6 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
#32. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- 爆料TV score: 8.8
- Eighth overall pick in 2013
- Played four seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 11.0 PTS, 2.9 REB, 1.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 49.2 win shares, -1.0 box plus/minus, 7.2 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 0.1%
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
#31. John Salley
- 爆料TV score: 8.9
- 11th overall pick in 1986
- Played six seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 7.0 PTS, 4.5 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 41.5 win shares, 0.5 box plus/minus, 10.5 VORP
- Accolades
--- 4x NBA Champ
#30. Kevin Loughery
- 爆料TV score: 9.0
- 13th overall pick in 1962
- Played one season with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 15.3 PTS, 3.0 REB, 3.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 29.8 win shares
#29. Spud Webb
- 爆料TV score: 9.1
- 87th overall pick in 1985
- Career averages: 9.9 PTS, 2.1 REB, 5.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 40.2 win shares, 0.2 box plus/minus, 11.5 VORP
#28. Ray Scott
- 爆料TV score: 9.3
- Fourth overall pick in 1961
- Played five seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 14.3 PTS, 9.8 REB, 2.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 30.8 win shares
#27. Kelly Tripucka
- 爆料TV score: 9.6
- 12th overall pick in 1981
- Played five seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 17.2 PTS, 3.8 REB, 3.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 44.4 win shares, 0.1 box plus/minus, 11.2 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x All Star
#26. Theo Ratliff
- 爆料TV score: 9.7
- 18th overall pick in 1995
- Played two seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 7.2 PTS, 5.7 REB, 0.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 47.9 win shares, 0.0 box plus/minus, 10.3 VORP
- Accolades
--- 3x BLK Champ
--- 2x All-Defensive
--- 1x All Star
#25. Terry Tyler
- 爆料TV score: 9.8
- 23rd overall pick in 1978
- Played seven seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 10.2 PTS, 5.4 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 40.8 win shares, 0.4 box plus/minus, 13.2 VORP
#24. Curtis Rowe
- 爆料TV score: 10.3
- 11th overall pick in 1971
- Played five seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 11.6 PTS, 7.2 REB, 1.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 34.1 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#23. Chris Ford
- 爆料TV score: 10.7
- 17th overall pick in 1972
- Played six seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 9.2 PTS, 3.0 REB, 3.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 35.6 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1981 NBA Champ
#22. Amir Johnson
- 爆料TV score: 10.7
- 56th overall pick in 2005
- Played four seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 7.0 PTS, 5.4 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 55.3 win shares, 0.3 box plus/minus, 10.6 VORP
#21. Tom Van Arsdale
- 爆料TV score: 11.0
- 14th overall pick in 1965
- Played two seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 15.3 PTS, 4.2 REB, 2.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 36.6 win shares
- Accolades
--- 3x All Star
#20. Greg Monroe
- 爆料TV score: 11.7
- Seventh overall pick in 2010
- Played five seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 13.0 PTS, 8.2 REB, 2.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 50.4 win shares, 1.4 box plus/minus, 15.3 VORP
#19. Mehmet Okur
- 爆料TV score: 12.0
- 38th overall pick in 2001
- Played two seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 13.5 PTS, 7.0 REB, 1.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 54.7 win shares, 1.1 box plus/minus, 14.5 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2004 NBA Champ
--- 1x All Star
#18. Allan Houston
- 爆料TV score: 12.3
- 11th overall pick in 1993
- Played three seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 17.3 PTS, 2.9 REB, 2.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 55.3 win shares, 0.1 box plus/minus, 15.0 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x All Star
#17. Jimmy Walker
- 爆料TV score: 12.9
- First overall pick in 1967
- Played five seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 16.7 PTS, 2.7 REB, 3.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 42.9 win shares
- Accolades
--- 2x All Star
#16. Khris Middleton
- 爆料TV score: 13.2
- 39th overall pick in 2012
- Played one season with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 16.1 PTS, 4.7 REB, 3.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 58.2 win shares, 0.5 box plus/minus, 15.7 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 1.7%
- Accolades
--- 2021 NBA Champ
--- 3x All Star
#15. Tayshaun Prince
- 爆料TV score: 14.3
- 23rd overall pick in 2002
- Played 10 seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 11.1 PTS, 4.3 REB, 2.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 63.1 win shares, 0.3 box plus/minus, 18.0 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2004 NBA Champ
--- 4x All-Defensive
#14. Ricky Pierce
- 爆料TV score: 15.7
- 18th overall pick in 1982
- Played one season with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 14.9 PTS, 2.4 REB, 1.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 72.2 win shares, 1.1 box plus/minus, 18.6 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#13. Andre Drummond
- 爆料TV score: 17.1
- Ninth overall pick in 2012
- Played seven seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 12.1 PTS, 11.9 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 80.0 win shares, 1.0 box plus/minus, 18.9 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 1.7%
- Accolades
--- 4x TRB Champ
--- 2015-16 All-NBA
--- 2x All Star
#12. Steve Mix
- 爆料TV score: 17.3
- 61st overall pick in 1969
- Played two seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 10.6 PTS, 5.3 REB, 1.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 57.6 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#11. Randy Smith
- 爆料TV score: 18.5
- 205th overall pick in 1970
- Career averages: 16.7 PTS, 3.7 REB, 4.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 60.1 win shares
- Hall of Fame probability: 2.6%
- Accolades
--- 1975-76 All-NBA
--- 1977-78 AS MVP
--- 2x All Star
#10. Dan Issel
- 爆料TV score: 24.8
- 122nd overall pick in 1970
- Career averages: 22.6 PTS, 9.1 REB, 2.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 82.3 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1975 ABA Champ
--- 1970-71 ROY
--- 1971-72 AS MVP
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#9. George Yardley
- 爆料TV score: 28.9
- Eighth overall pick in 1950
- Played four seasons with Fort Wayne Pistons and one season with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 19.2 PTS, 8.9 REB, 1.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 58.5 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1957-58 Scoring Champ
--- 2x All-NBA
--- 6x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#8. Dennis Rodman
- 爆料TV score: 31.3
- 27th overall pick in 1986
- Played seven seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 7.3 PTS, 13.1 REB, 1.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 89.8 win shares, 0.9 box plus/minus, 21.0 VORP
- Accolades
--- 5x NBA Champ
--- 2x Def. POY
--- 7x TRB Champ
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#7. Dave DeBusschere
- 爆料TV score: 32.2
- Fourth overall pick in 1962
- Played six seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 16.1 PTS, 11.0 REB, 2.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 60.8 win shares
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 1968-69 All-NBA
--- 6x All-Defensive
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#6. Joe Dumars
- 爆料TV score: 32.4
- 18th overall pick in 1985
- Played 14 seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 16.1 PTS, 2.2 REB, 4.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 86.2 win shares, 0.8 box plus/minus, 25.3 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 1988-89 Finals MVP
--- 3x All-NBA
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#5. Dave Bing
- 爆料TV score: 36.0
- Second overall pick in 1966
- Played nine seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 20.3 PTS, 3.8 REB, 6.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 68.8 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1967-68 Scoring Champ
--- 1966-67 ROY
--- 3x All-NBA
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#4. Isiah Thomas
- 爆料TV score: 41.4
- Second overall pick in 1981
- Played 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 19.2 PTS, 3.6 REB, 9.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 80.7 win shares, 2.6 box plus/minus, 41.6 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 1989-90 Finals MVP
--- 1984-85 AST Champ
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#3. Grant Hill
- 爆料TV score: 42.7
- Third overall pick in 1994
- Played six seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 16.7 PTS, 6.0 REB, 4.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 99.9 win shares, 3.0 box plus/minus, 43.6 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1994-95 ROY
--- 5x All-NBA
--- 7x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#2. Bailey Howell
- 爆料TV score: 50.1
- Second overall pick in 1959
- Played five seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 18.7 PTS, 9.9 REB, 2.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 114.8 win shares
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 1962-63 All-NBA
--- 6x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#1. Bob Lanier
- 爆料TV score: 51.0
- First overall pick in 1970
- Played nine seasons with Detroit Pistons
- Career averages: 20.1 PTS, 10.1 REB, 3.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 117.1 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1973-74 AS MVP
--- 8x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
