Detroit Pistons Team Profile

The Detroit PisDetroit Pistonstons are a National Basketball Association team based in the Detroit , Michigan metropolitan area. The Pistons are one of the eight teams in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Pistons now play in The Palace of Auburn Hills near Detroit , Michigan and wear jerseys of red white and blue. The team was originally known as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, named after the then owner of Zollner Machine Works, which manufactured pistons. The Pistons have appeared in five NBA Finals and has won three NBA championship title. The franchise has also twenty eight Playoffs appearances and has won six Division Championships. The Detroit Pistons are the oldest existing franchise in National Basketball Association history. The franchise was founded as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, a National Basketball League team playing in the gym of North Side High School. In 1948, the team became the Fort Wayne Pistons, competing in the Basketball Association of America. Led by star forward George Yardley, the Fort Wayne Pistons were a very popular franchise and appeared in the NBA Finals in 1954 and 1955, losing both times.

The Pistons original owner Zollner sold the team in 1974, to Bill Davidson, who remains the team's owner. However the Pistons did not fair wDetroit Pistonsell, struggling for most of their seasons until 1989, when they won their first NBA league championship. The franchise would go on to take the championships in 1989, 1990 and in 2004. The Pistons started off the 2005-2006 season with the NBA's best overall record. Their 37-5 start exceeds the best start for any Detroit sports franchise. Players such as Maurice Evans, Dale Davis, the return of Lindsey Hunter and the improving play of Carlos Delfino promise to give Detroit a deeper and more reliable bench then they had in 2005 playoffs. The local support of the Pistons has correspondingly increased since the franchise returned to the league's elite level. Despite playing in the league's largest arena, the Pistons have sold out 114 consecutive home games. Some of the notable players to play for the Pistons are Hall of Famers Dave Bing, Dave DeBusschere, Isaiah Thomas, and George Yardley. Current pistons roster includes Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Jason Maxiell, Carlos Delfino to name a few. The Pistons have embraced coach Flip Saunders' wide-open offensive style while continuing to play the stifling, physical defense for which they have become known.

Detroit Pistons Team Roster

NO.	PLAYER	POS.	HT.	WT.	BORN	COLLEGE	'07 SALARY
9	Arron Afflalo	G	6-5	215	10/15/85	UCLA	$944,520
1	Chauncey Billups	PG	6-3	202	09/25/76	Colorado	$6,364,400
8	Will Blalock	G	6-0	200	09/08/83	Iowa State	$412,718
12	Ronald Dupree	SF	6-7	209	01/26/81	LSU	$771,331
32	Richard Hamilton	SG	6-7	193	02/14/78	Connecticut	$9,187,500
24	Jarvis Hayes	SF	6-8	220	08/09/81	Georgia	$2,564,127
10	Lindsey Hunter	PG	6-2	195	12/03/70	Jackson State	$2,250,000
25	Amir Johnson	F	6-9	210	05/01/87		$664,209
54	Jason Maxiell	F	6-7	260	02/18/83	Cincinnati	$973,440
24	Antonio McDyess	PF	6-9	245	09/07/74	Alabama	$5,883,600
17	Sammy Mejia	GF	6-6	195	02/07/83	DePaul
13	Nazr Mohammed	C	6-10	250	09/05/77	Kentucky	$5,215,000
6	Ronald Murray	SG	6-3	197	07/29/79	Shaw	$1,750,000
22	Tayshaun Prince	SF	6-9	215	02/28/80	Kentucky	$7,851,240
23	Cheick Samb	C	7-1	195	10/22/84
3	Rodney Stuckey	G	6-5	205	04/21/86	Eastern Washington	$1,569,600
36	Rasheed Wallace	PF	6-11	230	09/17/74	North Carolina	$11,650,000