John Salley facts for kids
Salley in 2007
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 16, 1964 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| High school | Canarsie (Brooklyn, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Georgia Tech (1982–1986) |
| NBA Draft | 1986 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11th overall |
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
| Pro career | 1986–1996, 1999–2000 |
| Career history | |
| 1986–1992 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1992–1995 | Miami Heat |
| 1995–1996 | Toronto Raptors |
| 1996 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1996 | Panathinaikos |
| 1999–2000 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 5,228 (7.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,356 (4.5 rpg) |
| Blocks | 983 (1.3 bpg) |
John Thomas Salley (born May 16, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He made history as the first player in the NBA to win championships with three different teams. He was also the first to win a championship in three different decades.
Standing 6 feet 11 inches tall, Salley played as a power forward and center. He played for the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Panathinaikos, and Los Angeles Lakers. After his basketball career, he became a TV host, a vegan activist, a chef, and a wellness entrepreneur.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
John Thomas Salley was born on May 16, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York. He played basketball at Canarsie High School in Brooklyn.
College Career at Georgia Tech
Salley attended Georgia Tech and graduated in 1988. He helped the Yellow Jackets win the 1985 ACC Championship. They also reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament that year. When he left in 1986, he was Georgia Tech's all-time leader in blocked shots. His jersey number 22 was retired by Georgia Tech, which is a very special honor in college basketball.
Professional Basketball Career
John Salley was chosen by the Detroit Pistons as the 11th pick in the first round of the 1986 NBA draft. He quickly became good friends with teammate Adrian Dantley, who taught him a lot about being a professional athlete.
Detroit Pistons (1986–1992)
Salley was part of the famous "Bad Boys" Pistons team. This team was known for its tough defense and physical style of play. They made three NBA Finals appearances in a row.
In 1989, the Pistons swept the Los Angeles Lakers to win the championship. Salley and the Pistons won again in 1990, beating the Portland Trail Blazers. The Pistons' amazing run ended when the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls defeated them in 1991. Salley was one of the few Pistons players who stayed on the court to congratulate the Bulls after that game.
Miami Heat (1992–1995)
In 1992, Salley was traded to the Miami Heat. He played for the Heat until 1995.
Toronto Raptors (1995–1996)
In 1995, Salley was chosen by the new Toronto Raptors team in the NBA expansion draft. He played for the Raptors for a short time. In February 1996, he left the team.
Chicago Bulls (1996)
In March 1996, Salley joined the Chicago Bulls. This team included superstars like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and his former Pistons teammate Dennis Rodman. The 1995–96 Bulls had an amazing season, winning 72 games. This was the best regular-season record at the time. Salley won his third NBA championship with the Bulls in June 1996.
Panathinaikos (1996)
After winning with the Bulls, Salley went to play in Greece for Panathinaikos in September 1996. He played in seven games for the team before deciding to leave after about a month.
Los Angeles Lakers (1999–2000)
In 1999, Salley joined the Los Angeles Lakers. This team had superstars Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. He also reunited with his former Bulls coach, Phil Jackson. Salley didn't play much, but he was part of the team that won the NBA championship in 2000.
After this win, Salley retired from basketball. He proudly noted that he had won "four championship rings, with three different teams, in three different decades." He was the last Laker to wear jersey number 16 before it was retired for Pau Gasol.
Life After Basketball
After retiring from basketball, John Salley became involved in many different activities.
Film Appearances
Salley has appeared in several movies:
- In 1995, he played a computer hacker named Fletcher in the movie Bad Boys.
- In 1996, he was in the film Eddie with Whoopi Goldberg.
- He returned as Fletcher in Bad Boys II in 2003.
- He also had roles in Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) and Black Dynamite.
- He appeared as a tall elf in the Disney Channel movie, The Ultimate Christmas Present.
- In 2018, he was in the Netflix movie Nappily Ever After.
- In 2022, Salley appeared in Sneakerella.
- He returned as Fletcher again in Bad Boys: Ride or Die in 2024.
Television Roles and Hosting
Salley has also been on many TV shows:
- He hosted the game show I Can't Believe You Said That in 1998.
- He was a guest on Hollywood Squares and Match Game.
- In 2000, he appeared as himself on Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
- Salley hosted The John Salley Block Party, a radio show in Los Angeles.
- He also hosted reunion specials for VH1's Basketball Wives and Basketball Wives LA.
- Since 2019, he has reprised his role as Fletcher in the Bad Boys TV series LA's Finest.
Other Appearances
- In 2001, he was in Luther Vandross's music video "Take You Out".
- He was named the Commissioner of the American Basketball Association in 2006.
- In 2007, he appeared in the reality TV series Fast Cars and Superstars: The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race.
- He was a contestant on I'm a Celebrity…Get Me out of Here! in 2009, finishing in third place.
- In 2012, he was a celebrity judge on RuPaul's Drag Race.
Vegan Activism and Wellness
John Salley is a strong supporter of a vegan lifestyle. He promotes eating plant-based foods and has appeared in videos for PETA. He also speaks at events like Michigan's Vegfest.
He has spoken to the U.S. Congress to ask for more vegetarian food options in public schools. In 2010, he joined the Simply Raw team, which made a documentary about reversing diabetes. He also teamed up with Farm Sanctuary to host their "Walk for Farm Animals" event.
In 2015, Salley encouraged former First Lady Michelle Obama to go vegan. He believes that eating vegan is good for both human health and for fighting climate change.
..... He is also an ambassador for Operation Smile, a charity that provides surgeries for children with facial deformities.
Personal Life
John Salley married Natasha Duffy in 1993. They have two children together, and Salley also has a daughter from a previous relationship. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and is a Scottish Rite Freemason.
NBA Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–87 | Detroit | 82 | 2 | 17.8 | .562 | .000 | .614 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 5.3 |
| 1987–88 | Detroit | 82 | 16 | 24.4 | .566 | – | .709 | 4.9 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 8.5 |
| 1988–89† | Detroit | 67 | 21 | 21.8 | .498 | .000 | .692 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 7.0 |
| 1989–90† | Detroit | 82 | 12 | 23.3 | .512 | .250 | .713 | 5.4 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 7.2 |
| 1990–91 | Detroit | 74 | 1 | 22.3 | .475 | .000 | .727 | 4.4 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 7.4 |
| 1991–92 | Detroit | 72 | 38 | 24.6 | .512 | .000 | .715 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 9.5 |
| 1992–93 | Miami | 51 | 34 | 27.9 | .502 | – | .799 | 6.1 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 8.3 |
| 1993–94 | Miami | 76 | 45 | 25.1 | .477 | .667 | .729 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 7.7 |
| 1994–95 | Miami | 75 | 50 | 26.1 | .499 | – | .739 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 7.3 |
| 1995–96 | Toronto | 25 | 6 | 19.3 | .486 | – | .723 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 6.0 |
| 1995–96† | Chicago | 17 | 0 | 11.2 | .343 | – | .600 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 2.1 |
| 1999–00† | L.A. Lakers | 45 | 3 | 6.7 | .362 | – | .750 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.6 |
| Career | 748 | 228 | 22.1 | .506 | .214 | .714 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 7.0 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Detroit | 15 | 0 | 20.7 | .500 | – | .643 | 4.8 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 6.2 |
| 1988 | Detroit | 23 | 0 | 27.1 | .538 | .000 | .710 | 6.7 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 7.0 |
| 1989† | Detroit | 17 | 0 | 23.1 | .586 | – | .667 | 4.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 8.9 |
| 1990† | Detroit | 20 | 0 | 27.4 | .475 | – | .755 | 5.9 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 9.5 |
| 1991 | Detroit | 15 | 0 | 20.5 | .543 | – | .600 | 4.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 7.5 |
| 1992 | Detroit | 5 | 1 | 29.8 | .455 | .000 | .821 | 6.0 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 12.6 |
| 1994 | Miami | 5 | 5 | 40.2 | .386 | – | .688 | 8.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 11.0 |
| 1996† | Chicago | 16 | 0 | 5.3 | .545 | – | .286 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 |
| 2000† | L.A. Lakers | 18 | 0 | 4.3 | .385 | – | .700 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.9 |
| Career | 134 | 6 | 20.1 | .505 | .000 | .690 | 4.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 6.4 | |
Images for kids
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Salley in December 2008 during an electric shaver promotional appearance at the Rose Bowl.
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Natasha and John Salley in 2016.
