This is a random, silly post with no actual point beyond some slightly interesting trivia. In today’s Monday Bullets on TrueHoop, Henry Abbott wrote that a reader pointed out how more than a sixth of all players drafted in 1996 have played for the Knicks.
The Pistons can boast the same using the 1995 draft. Go here to see the entire draft, but the following players have at one time or another played for the Pistons, along with their draft pick number:
- 1. Joe Smith
- 2. Antonio McDyess
- 3. Jerry Stackhouse
- 4. Rasheed Wallace
- 13. Corliss Williamson
- 17. Bob Sura
- 18. Theo Ratliff
- 19. Randolph Childress
- 30. Lou Roe
- 58. Don Reid
That’s 10 players out of 58 drafted. (I think that’s everyone, but let me know if I forgot someone.) I find the fact that the first four players drafted have at some point or another played for the Pistons to be quite remarkable. And remember those Kevin Garnett rumors from last year? He went No. 5. And while we’re at it, the Pistons also worked out Fred Hoiberg (No. 52) last season.
Pictured above is Lou Roe, because, well, the world is a better place with more pictures of Lou Roe. Although the Lou Roe Era lasted only 49 games in Detroit (and 17 games the next season with Golden State), you’ll be happy to know that he actually became something of a sensation in professional leagues in Europe and Asia.
Update: The Feed did the math and reports that the Knicks had 11 players from the ‘96 draft, or 12 if you count (I don’t) first-round pick Dontae Jones, who was drafted by the team but never actually played.
I don’t think that Randolph Childress ever played for the Pistons.
We drafted Childress in 1995 and immediately traded him for Otis Thorpe. The next season (his second and final year in the league) we re-acquired Childress in a package (along with Aaron McKie and Reggie Jordan) for Stacey Augmon. He played just for games for the Pistons in 1997 before being cut.
If only the Knicks had pulled a Childress-type deal for Dontae’ Jones, then my little list wouldn’t be so fradulent.
Another weird thing from the 1996 draft: Two players picked in succession by the Philadelphia 76ers have played more games in Major League Baseball then they did in the NBA. Mark Hendrickson and Ryan Minor, if you’re playing at home.