John Long (basketball)

John Long

Long at the dedication of Dick Vitale Court at the University of Detroit Mercy's Calihan Hall in 2011.
Personal information
Born	(1956-08-28) August 28, 1956 Romulus, Michigan
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school	Romulus (Romulus, Michigan)
College	Detroit (1974–1978)
NBA draft	1978 / Round: 2 / Pick: 29th overall
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Playing career	1978–1997
Position	Shooting guard / Small forward
Number	25, 34
Career history
1978–1986	Detroit Pistons
1986–1989	Indiana Pacers
1989	Detroit Pistons
1989–1990	Atlanta Hawks
1990–1991	Tours Joué Basket (France)
1991	Detroit Pistons
1994	Sioux Falls Skyforce (CBA)
1996–1997	Toronto Raptors
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (1989)
Career NBA statistics
Points	12,131 (13.6 ppg)
Rebounds	2,492 (2.8 rpg)
Steals	912 (1.0 spg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

John Eddie Long (born August 28, 1956) is a retired American professional basketball player.

After starring at the University of Detroit, the 6’ 5” (1.96 m) shooting guard was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 1978 NBA draft. The move was largely influenced by Dick Vitale, who coached Long at UD before going to the Pistons. He played eight seasons for the Pistons, and he averaged a career-high 21.9 points per game in 1981–82. Long was the original backcourt partner to point guard Isiah Thomas before Joe Dumars was drafted.

After Dumars was named the starter, Long later played for the Indiana Pacers, where he was backed up by Reggie Miller before playing for the Atlanta Hawks. After playing overseas and in the minor leagues for several years, Long signed with the Toronto Raptors for one season, and he retired in 1997 with 12,131 career points. At the time, the 41-year-old Long was the oldest player in the NBA.

Two of John Long's nephews, Terry Mills and Grant Long, also played in the NBA. The nephews were teammates in Detroit during the 1996-1997 season. All three men played 2 seasons or more for the Detroit Pistons. He is currently a radio analyst for the Pistons.

External links

• Career Stats