Sports
John Salley
born 1964 · basketball player, forward-center
Bad Boys-era Pistons forward who won back-to-back NBA titles in Detroit in 1989 and 1990 and later became the first player to win championships with three franchises.
- Born
Brooklyn, New York
age 62- Birth name
- John Thomas Salley
- Detroit years
- 1986–1992
- Field
- Sports
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Drafted 11th overall by Detroit in 1986, Salley joined a young Pistons roster under coach Chuck Daly that was building toward the rough, defense-first identity of the "Bad Boys." Playing alongside Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman, he became one of the franchise's career leaders in blocked shots and started on Detroit's back-to-back championship teams of 1989 and 1990, after the Pistons lost the 1988 Finals to the Lakers in seven games. He left Detroit in 1992, later winning further titles with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to become the first player in NBA history to win championships with three different franchises. Salley remained tied to Detroit's fraternity community as a member of Omega Psi Phi's Nu Omega chapter, and later became known nationally as a vegan chef and wellness advocate, as well as a longtime Fox Sports host.
Highlights
- Drafted 11th overall by Detroit in 1986
- Won back-to-back NBA championships with the Pistons, 1989 and 1990
- Among the Pistons' all-time leaders in blocked shots
- First player in NBA history to win titles with three different franchises
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 2
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Played here · 1988–1992
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Demolished · 1988–2020
His home arena for the championship seasons of 1989 and 1990; demolished in 2020.
Played here · 1986–1988
Pontiac Silverdome
Demolished · 1975–2017
The Pistons' home before the Palace opened in 1988; demolished in 2017.