Joe Dumars
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Joe Dumars (born May 24, 1963 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American former basketball player in the NBA, and currently the Detroit Pistons' President of Basketball Operations. At 6'3" in (190 cm) he could play either shooting guard or point guard on offense and was a highly effective defender. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Dumars and Isiah Thomas combined to form one of the best backcourts in NBA history. Initially a shooting guard, Dumars moved over to point guard following Thomas's retirement in 1994, sharing ball-handling duties with Grant Hill. Dumars was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
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[edit] Playing career
Drafted 18th overall in the first round of the 1985 NBA Draft out of McNeese State University, he played guard for the Detroit Pistons for his entire career, from 1985 to 1999. Dumars' favorite player in the NBA, according to McNeese State's athletic program, was Isiah Thomas. He won two championships as a player in 1989 and 1990, and was voted the 1989 Finals MVP, averaging 27.3 points per game as the Pistons swept the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. The following year, he won accolades during the Eastern Conference Finals when, with Dennis Rodman, he was a cornerstone of coach Chuck Daly's "Jordan Rules" defensive playbook, which forced the Chicago Bulls to change their offensive strategy to include less of Michael Jordan and more of the other members of the team. According to Jordan, Dumars was the best defender he faced in the NBA.
During his career, he was selected to the All-Star team six times, and to the All-Defensive first team four times. In 14 seasons, all with the Pistons, Dumars scored 16,401 points, handed out 4,612 assists, grabbed 2,203 rebounds and recorded 902 steals.
Although he was a member of the famed "Bad Boys" teams known for their aggressive play and demeanor, he became personally known for his quiet and upstanding behavior. The NBA has named its Sportsmanship Award after him.
His #4 jersey was retired by the Pistons in 2000. He has the distinction as being the only Pistons player to ever wear this number.
Dumars attended Natchitoches Central High School in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
[edit] NBA Executive career
Dumars became the Pistons' President of Basketball Operations prior to the 2000-01 NBA season. He was voted the league's Executive of the Year for the 2002-03 season and quietly went on to build the team that won the 2004 NBA Championship and became the 2005 NBA Eastern Conference Champions--doing so largely with players who had been discarded by other franchises.
[edit] Notable trades
- Grant Hill, traded for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace in 2000.
- Jerome Williams, traded for Corliss Williamson in 2001.
- Mateen Cleaves, traded for Jon Barry in 2001.
- Jud Buechler, traded for Clifford Robinson in 2001.
- Jerry Stackhouse, traded for Richard Hamilton in 2002.
- Michael Curry, traded for Lindsey Hunter in 2003.
- Zeljko Rebraca, Bob Sura, Chucky Atkins, Lindsey Hunter and two first round picks, traded for Rasheed Wallace and Mike James in 2004; Hunter would return to the team a week later.
- Elden Campbell and a first round draft pick, traded for Carlos Arroyo in 2005; Campbell would return to the team later that season.
[edit] Notable draft picks
- Mehmet Okur in the second round in 2001.
- Tayshaun Prince in the first round with the 23rd overall pick in 2002.
- Darko Milicic in the first round with the second overall pick in 2003
[edit] Notable signings
- Chauncey Billups
- Antonio McDyess
- Chris Webber
- Rick Carlisle (coach)
- Larry Brown (coach)
- Flip Saunders (coach)
[edit] Business interests
Dumars was majority owner as well as CEO and President of Detroit Technologies for approximately 10 years. Founded by Dumars in 1996, DTI is an automotive supply company. He sold off his interest in the company in 2006 to pursue other business interests and focus on his role as Pistons’ President of Basketball Operations. Dumars oversaw a joint venture deal in 2006 Between Detroit Technologies and TSI.
The Joe Dumars Fieldhouse, an indoor sports and entertainment facility, has two locations in the Metro-Detroit area: in Shelby Township at M-59 and Mound Road and in Detroit at the State Fairgrounds. In an interview with DBusiness magazine (link below), Dumars stated he was in talks to expand the fieldhouses to other states.
Currently, Dumars is on the board of Directors of the First Michigan Bank - a commercial bank located in Troy, Michigan, which is in the metropolitan Detroit area. With around $14 million in the vault, First Michigan Bank will service a cadre of small-business owners in metro Detroit who “have been neglected by the large, out-of-town financial institutions,” according to a private placement memo the bank prepared for U.S. and state financial regulators.
