Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards and passers of all time, Kidd was a 10-time NBA All-Star, a five-time All-NBA First Team member, and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He won an NBA championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and was a two-time gold medal winner in the Olympics with the U.S. national team in 2000 and 2008. He was inducted as a player into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In October 2021, Kidd was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who serves as a basketball analyst for YES Network and formerly ESPN. He currently works as an alternate Studio Analyst for the NBA on TNT. He primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions, but occasionally played power forward later in his NBA career. He was an eight-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA Team selection. He is the only player in NBA history to play as many as 22 seasons from his debut in 1999 to his retirement in 2020. He was the scoring leader on the 2000 United States Men's Olympic Basketball Team where the USA defeated France to win the nation's twelfth Men's Basketball Olympic gold medal. He entertained crowds with his leaping ability and slam dunks, earning him nicknames such as "Vinsanity", "Air Canada" named after the Canadian airline with the same name, and "Half Man, Half Amazing". He has been ranked as the greatest dunker of all time by numerous players, journalists, and by the National Basketball Association (NBA). In addition to his dunking prowess, he was a prolific three-point shooter, making the ninth most three-point field goals in league history.
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Billups spent the majority of his 17-year basketball career playing for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004 after helping the Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the nickname "Mr. Big Shot" for making late-game shots with Detroit. The Pistons retired his No. 1 jersey in 2016. After playing college basketball with the Colorado Buffaloes, he was selected third overall in the 1997 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. A five-time NBA All-Star, a three-time All-NBA selection and two-time NBA All-Defensive selection, Billups also played for the Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers during his NBA career.
Richard Clay "Rip" Hamilton is an American former professional basketball player and current basketball analyst for CBS Sports HQ. Hamilton played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is best known for his nine-year stint with the Detroit Pistons, where he was a three-time All-Star. He helped lead the Pistons to six straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances, back to back NBA Finals appearances, their best record in franchise history and the 2004 NBA championship.
Maurice Edward Cheeks is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has also served as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Detroit Pistons. Cheeks was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2018.
Joseph Leynard Smith is an American former professional basketball player. A power forward, he played for 12 teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during his 16-year career.
Theophalus Curtis Ratliff is an American former professional basketball player who played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Reginald Jamaal Evans is an American former professional basketball player who last played in the Big3 League. A Power forward, Evans played 13 seasons in the NBA with seven teams. While limited in his offensive game, Evans was known for his rebounding, tenacity and hustle on the defensive end.
Eric Scott Montross was an American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for eight seasons with the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, and Toronto Raptors. Born in Indianapolis, he played for Lawrence North High School before enrolling at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to play for the Tar Heels.
The 1995–96 NBA season was the Toronto Raptors' first season in the National Basketball Association. The Raptors, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, played their first games in 1995, and were the first NBA teams to play in Canada since the 1946–47 Toronto Huskies. Retired All-Star point guard and former Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas became the team's General Manager. The Raptors revealed a new primary logo of a dinosaur playing basketball, and got new pinstripe uniforms with the logo on the front of their jerseys, adding purple and red to their color scheme.
Hyland DeAndre Jordan Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for the Texas A&M Aggies.
The 2004–05 NBA season was the Raptors' tenth season in the National Basketball Association. A new management team of head coach Sam Mitchell, and General Manager Rob Babcock was hired before the 2004–05 season by the Raptors. On December 17, 2004, disgruntled All-Star Vince Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets for Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, and Alonzo Mourning. Mourning would never report to Toronto and he was waived not long after the trade. He later signed with the Miami Heat for his second stint. Guard Alvin Williams missed the entire season due to right knee inflammation. The Raptors finished fourth in the Atlantic Division with a 33–49 record, which was the same record as the previous season. Sophomore star Chris Bosh showed improvement averaging 16.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
The 1997–98 NBA season was the Pistons' 50th season in the National Basketball Association, and 41st season in the city of Detroit. During the off-season, the Pistons signed free agents Brian Williams, and Malik Sealy. After winning their first two games, the Pistons lost five straight and struggled with a 6–11 start, as Joe Dumars missed ten games due to a shoulder injury during the first month of the season. In late December, the team traded Theo Ratliff and Aaron McKie to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Jerry Stackhouse and Eric Montross. At midseason, head coach Doug Collins was fired after a 21–24 start, and was replaced with assistant Alvin Gentry; Collins would later on get a job as color analyst for the NBA on NBC. The Pistons held a 22–25 record at the All-Star break, then later on posted a 7-game losing streak between March and April, missing the playoffs finishing sixth in the Central Division with a disappointing 37–45 record.
The 2001–02 NBA season was the Pistons' 61st season, the 54th in the National Basketball Association, and the 45th in the Detroit area. After missing the playoffs the previous season, the Pistons selected Rodney White from the University of Charlotte with the ninth overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft. During the off-season, the team acquired Clifford Robinson from the Phoenix Suns, and Jon Barry from the Sacramento Kings. Under new head coach Rick Carlisle, the Pistons won 14 of their first 20 games, but then suffered a 7-game losing streak in December as part of a 5–14 stretch to fall to 19-20. Unlike previous seasons during the 1990s, The Pistons would rebound from the tough stretch to win 15 of their next 18 games. After a 26–21 record at the All-Star break, the Pistons won 24 of their final 35 games, winning the Central Division with a 50–32 record—the franchise's first Division title since the 1990—thanks to a 123–89 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on the final night of the season.
The 2002–03 NBA season was the Pistons' 62nd season as a franchise, the 55th in the National Basketball Association, and the 46th in the Detroit area. During the off-season, the Pistons acquired Richard Hamilton from the Washington Wizards, and signed free agent Chauncey Billups. With the acquisitions of Hamilton and Billups, the Pistons got off to a solid start winning 12 of their first 16 games, and held a 32–15 record at the All-Star break. However, the team suffered a 7-game losing streak between February and March, but managed to finish first place in the Eastern Conference with a 50–32 record, which tied the 1977 Philadelphia 76ers for the worst record by a number one-seeded team in the history of the league. The Pistons were the only team in the Eastern Conference with 50 or more wins this season.
The 1995–96 NBA season was the 76ers 47th season in the National Basketball Association, and 33rd season in Philadelphia. The 76ers had the third overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft, and selected Jerry Stackhouse from the University of North Carolina. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Vernon Maxwell, Richard Dumas, then later on in December, signed second-year guard Trevor Ruffin, and veteran point guard Scott Skiles, who then retired in January after only just ten games with the team.
The 1997–98 NBA season was the 76ers 49th season in the National Basketball Association, and 35th season in Philadelphia. The 76ers had the second overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, and selected Keith Van Horn from the University of Utah, but soon traded him to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Jim Jackson, Eric Montross, top draft pick Tim Thomas out of Villanova University, and first round draft pick Anthony Parker out of Bradley University. and signed free agent and former All-Star forward Terry Cummings during the off-season. In November, the Sixers acquired former All-Star forward Tom Chambers from the Phoenix Suns. However, after only playing just one game for the team, Chambers retired in December.
Henry John Ellenson is an American professional basketball player for Ibaraki Robots of the B.League. He played one season of college basketball for Marquette, before being drafted 18th overall by the Pistons in the 2016 NBA draft.
Delon Reginald Wright is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the CC of San Francisco Rams and the Utah Utes, being a first-team all-conference player in the Pac-12 in 2014 and 2015. He also earned the Bob Cousy Award in 2015.
Justin Lamar Anderson is an American professional basketball player for Valencia of the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers before being selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks.
