John Long (basketball player) facts for kids
Long at the dedication of Dick Vitale Court at the University of Detroit Mercy's Calihan Hall in 2011.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 28, 1956 Romulus, Michigan, U.S. |
| High school | Romulus (Romulus, Michigan) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Detroit Mercy (1974–1978) |
| NBA Draft | 1978 / Round: 2 / Pick: 29th overall |
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
| Pro career | 1978–1997 |
| Career history | |
| 1978–1986 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1986–1989 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1989 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1990 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1990–1991 | Tours Joué Basket |
| 1991 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1994 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 1996–1997 | Toronto Raptors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 12,131 (13.6 ppg) |
| Steals | 912 (1.0 spg) |
John Eddie Long, born on August 28, 1956, is a famous American former professional basketball player. He played for many years in the NBA, which is the top basketball league in the world.
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Playing Basketball in College
John Long played high school basketball at Romulus High School. After that, he went to the University of Detroit Mercy to play for coach Dick Vitale. John quickly became a star player for the Detroit Titans team.
During his time from 1974 to 1978, the team had amazing success. Coach Vitale brought in other future NBA players like Terry Duerod and Terry Tyler. They built a very strong team. John played as a shooting guard and scored a lot of points. In his senior year, he averaged 23.3 points per game.
NCAA Tournament Experience
In his junior year, the Detroit Titans made it to the 1977 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. They won their first game against Middle Tennessee. Then, they played against the Michigan Wolverines in the "Sweet 16" round. It was a close game, but they lost 86-81. The team finished that great season ranked #12 in the country.
In his senior year (1977-78), the team had an excellent record of 25 wins and only 4 losses. They were ranked #18. Even though they had a great season, they didn't get into the NCAA Tournament. Instead, they played in the 1978 National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
College Records and Honors
During his four years at Detroit, John Long scored 2,167 points. He was the first player for the Titans to score more than 2,000 points! Because of his amazing college career, he was added to the Detroit Mercy Titans Hall of Fame in 1993.
John Long's Professional Career
After his fantastic college career, John Long was chosen by the Detroit Pistons in the 1978 NBA draft. He was picked in the second round. The Pistons' coach, Dick Vitale, had also been John's coach at the University of Detroit. This connection helped John join the Pistons.
Playing for the Detroit Pistons
John Long played for the Pistons for eight seasons. He was a very important player for the team. In the 1981-82 season, he had his best year, averaging 21.9 points per game. He was the original backcourt partner for the famous point guard Isiah Thomas. Later, Joe Dumars joined the team. John also played alongside his college teammates, Terry Duerod, Dennis Boyd, and Terry Tyler, during his time with the Pistons.
One memorable game was on December 13, 1983. John Long scored 41 points! He also had eight assists and six rebounds. This was in an exciting game where the Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime.
Moving to Other Teams
In 1986, John left the Pistons to play for the Indiana Pacers. There, he played alongside another great player, Reggie Miller. After his time with the Pacers, he returned to the Detroit Pistons for the 1988-89 season. This was a special year because he helped the team win the NBA championship!
After that championship, he played for the Atlanta Hawks for one season. He then returned to the Detroit Pistons again for the 1990-91 season. John also played basketball in France and in another league called the Continental Basketball Association. He even played with a touring team led by Magic Johnson.
Later Career and Retirement
John Long wasn't done playing yet! In 1996, he signed with the Toronto Raptors. He played one season with them and then retired in 1997. When he retired, he had scored 12,131 points in his career. At 41 years old, he was one of the oldest players in the NBA at that time. Only Robert Parish, who was 43, was older.
John Long's Family and Honors
John Long has two nephews who also played in the NBA: Terry Mills and Grant Long. Interestingly, both of his nephews played for the Detroit Pistons, just like John. Terry Mills and Grant Long were even teammates on the Pistons during the 1996-1997 season.
After his playing career, John Long worked as a radio analyst for the Pistons. This meant he would talk about the games on the radio. In 2016, John Long was honored for his achievements. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: John E. Long para niños
- List of National Basketball Association career free throw percentage leaders
