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 |
| Nationality | American |
| 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) |
| Rebounds | 2,492 (2.8 rpg) |
| Steals | 912 (1.0 spg) |
John Eddie Long (born August 28, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player. He was known as a talented shooting guard and played for many years in the NBA. John Long was a key player for the Detroit Pistons and even won an NBA championship with them.
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Playing Basketball in High School and College
John Long started his basketball journey at Romulus High School. He was a very good player there. After high school, he decided to play college basketball at the University of Detroit. His coach was Dick Vitale, who later became a famous basketball announcer.
Becoming a Star at Detroit Mercy
At the University of Detroit, John Long quickly became a star. He played from 1974 to 1978. During his time, the team had a great run. Coach Vitale brought in other future NBA players like Terry Duerod and Terry Tyler. This made the team very strong.
As a senior, John Long averaged 23.3 points per game. This means he scored a lot of points in each game! In his junior year, the team made it to the 1977 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. They won their first game but then lost to Michigan in a close game. The team finished that season ranked #12 in the country.
Even though they had a great record (25 wins and only 4 losses) in his senior year, they didn't make the NCAA tournament. Instead, they played in the NIT. John Long scored 2,167 points during his college career. He was the first player from the University of Detroit to score over 2,000 points. Because of his amazing play, he was added to the Detroit Mercy Titans Hall of Fame in 1993.
John Long's Professional Basketball Career
After his successful college career, John Long was chosen by the Detroit Pistons in the 1978 NBA draft. This was a big moment for him. His former college coach, Dick Vitale, was also the Pistons' head coach at the time. This helped John Long join the team.
Playing for the Detroit Pistons
John Long played for the Pistons for eight seasons. He was a very important player for them. In the 1981–82 season, he scored a career-high average of 21.9 points per game. He was the first player to play alongside Isiah Thomas in the Pistons' backcourt. Later, Joe Dumars joined them. John Long also played with some of his old college teammates, like Terry Duerod, on the Pistons.
One amazing game was on December 13, 1983. John Long scored 41 points! This was during a super high-scoring game where the Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186–184 in triple overtime.
Moving to Other Teams and Winning a Championship
After his first time with the Pistons, John Long played for the Indiana Pacers in 1986. There, he played with another famous player, Reggie Miller.
He then returned to the Detroit Pistons for the 1988-89 season. This was a special year because he helped the team win the NBA championship! This is one of the biggest achievements for a basketball player.
After that, he played for the Atlanta Hawks. He also played in France and in another league called the Continental Basketball Association. He even played with a touring team led by Magic Johnson, another basketball legend.
Retirement from the NBA
John Long wasn't done yet! In 1996, he signed with the Toronto Raptors. He played one season with them. He finally retired from basketball in 1997. By then, he had scored 12,131 points in his NBA career. When he retired, he was 41 years old. He was the second oldest player in the NBA at that time, right after Robert Parish.
Life After Basketball
John Long has continued to be involved with basketball. He has worked as a radio analyst for the Detroit Pistons, sharing his knowledge of the game.
Family Connections to Basketball
Basketball runs in John Long's family! Two of his nephews, Terry Mills and Grant Long, also played in the NBA. Interestingly, both 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.
In 2016, John Long was honored for his great career. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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John Long at the dedication of Dick Vitale Court in 2011.
In Spanish: John E. Long para niños
