Detroit Pistons Regular Season Rosters

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1978-1979 Detroit Pistons Regular Season Roster

Player Pos HT WT YOS Pre-Draft Team Draft Status Nationality
Jim Bostic F 6-7 225 2 New Mexico State 1975 Rnd 8 Pick 13 United States
Dennis Boyd G 6-1 176 1 Detroit-Mercy 1977 Rnd 4 Pick 6 United States
Jim Brewer PF 6-9 210 5 Minnesota 1973 Rnd 1 Pick 2 United States
M.L. Carr GF 6-6 205 4 Guilford 1973 Rnd 5 Pick 7 United States
Leon Douglas C 6-10 230 2 Alabama 1976 Rnd 1 Pick 4 United States
Rickey Green PG 6-0 170 1 Michigan 1977 Rnd 1 Pick 16 United States
Essie Hollis SF 6-6 195 1 St. Bonaventure 1977 Rnd 2 Pick 22 United States
Otis Howard PF 6-7 220 0 Austin Peay 1978 Rnd 4 Pick 14 United States
Bob Lanier C 6-11 250 8 St. Bonaventure 1970 Rnd 1 Pick 1 United States
John Long GF 6-5 195 0 Detroit-Mercy 1978 Rnd 2 Pick 7 United States
Larry McNeill FC 6-9 195 5 Marquette 1973 Rnd 2 Pick 7 United States
Ben Poquette FC 6-9 235 1 Central Michigan 1977 Rnd 2 Pick 14 United States
Kevin Porter PG 6-0 170 6 St. Francis (PA) 1972 Rnd 3 Pick 9 United States
Steve Sheppard SF 6-6 215 1 Maryland 1977 Rnd 2 Pick 8 United States
John Shumate FC 6-9 235 4 Notre Dame 1974 Rnd 1 Pick 4 United States
Earl Tatum SG 6-5 185 2 Marquette 1976 Rnd 2 Pick 4 United States
Terry Tyler GF 6-7 215 0 Detroit-Mercy 1978 Rnd 2 Pick 1 United States
Andre Wakefield SG 6-3 175 0 Loyola (IL) 1978 Rnd 5 Pick 19 United States

1978-1979 Detroit Depth Chart

  PG SG SF PF C
Starters K. Porter J. Long M. Carr T. Tyler B. Lanier
Rotation       B. Poquette L. Douglas
Lim PT   E. Tatum J. Bostic J. Shumate  
Lim PT   A. Wakefield S. Sheppard J. Brewer  

1978-1979 Central Division Standings

RankTeamRecordGB
1San Antonio Spurs48-34-
2Houston Rockets47-351
3Atlanta Hawks46-362
4Detroit Pistons30-5218
5Cleveland Cavaliers30-5218
6New Orleans Jazz26-5622

1978-1979 Detroit Awards & Honors

Player Award / Honor
M.L. Carr All-NBA Defensive Second Team (1979)
Terry Tyler All-Rookie First Team (1979)
Bob Lanier Eastern All-Star Coaches Selection (1979)

1978-1979 Detroit Season Stat Leaders

Player GP MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV
M.L. Carr 80 40.1 18.7 7.4 3.3 2.5 0.6 3.2
John Long 82 30.5 16.1 3.2 1.5 1.2 0.2 1.7
Kevin Porter 82 37.4 15.4 2.5 13.4 1.9 0.1 4.1
Bob Lanier 53 34.6 23.6 9.3 2.6 0.9 1.4 3.3
Terry Tyler 82 31.2 12.9 7.9 1.1 1.3 2.5 1.7
Leon Douglas 78 28.4 11.4 8.5 0.9 0.5 0.7 2.4
Earl Tatum 76 15.7 7.8 1.6 0.9 1.0 0.4 1.1
Ben Poquette 76 17.6 6.7 4.4 0.8 0.5 1.3 0.9
Rickey Green 27 16.0 6.6 1.5 2.3 0.9 0.0 1.6
Andre Wakefield 71 8.1 2.4 1.1 1.0 0.3 0.0 1.0
Essie Hollis 25 6.2 2.8 1.8 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.6
Jim Brewer 25 12.4 2.3 4.2 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.8
Otis Howard 11 8.3 4.5 3.1 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.5
Chris Ford 3 36.0 11.0 6.0 1.7 0.3 0.3 3.3
Steve Sheppard 20 3.8 1.6 0.9 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2
Larry McNeill 11 4.2 2.6 0.9 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.4
Robert Hawkins 4 7.0 4.5 1.5 1.0 1.2 0.0 0.5
Dennis Boyd 5 8.0 1.2 0.4 1.4 0.0 0.0 1.2
Gus Gerard 2 3.0 1.5 0.5 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0
Ron Behagen 1 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0

1978-1979 Detroit Pistons Roster Composition

Selected via Draft

Leon Douglas was selected as the #4 pick in the First Round of the 1976 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Leon Douglas signed a multi-year contract with the Detroit Pistons on September 8, 1976.

Bob Lanier was selected as the #1 pick in the First Round of the 1970 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Bob Lanier signed a multi-year contract with the Detroit Pistons on July 1, 1970. Bob Lanier re-signed to a multi-year contract as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons on September 19, 1977.

John Long was selected as the #7 pick in the Second Round of the 1978 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. John Long signed a multi-year contract with the Detroit Pistons on September 1, 1978.

Ben Poquette was selected as the #14 pick in the Second Round of the 1977 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Ben Poquette signed a multi-year contract with the Detroit Pistons on September 7, 1977.

Terry Tyler was selected as the #1 pick in the Second Round of the 1978 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Terry Tyler signed a multi-year contract with the Detroit Pistons on August 5, 1978.

Acquired via Trade

Jim Brewer was acquired in a trade by the Detroit Pistons from the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 15, 1979.

Kevin Porter was acquired in a trade by the Detroit Pistons from the New Jersey Nets on September 8, 1978.

John Shumate was acquired in a trade by the Detroit Pistons from the Buffalo Braves on November 23, 1977.

Earl Tatum was acquired in a trade by the Detroit Pistons from the Boston Celtics on October 19, 1978.

Acquired via Free Agency

Jim Bostic signed a contract as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons on April 5, 1978.

M.L. Carr signed a multi-year contract as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons on June 12, 1976.

Steve Sheppard signed a contract as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons on January 13, 1979.

Andre Wakefield signed a multi-year contract as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons on November 1, 1978.

1978-1979 Detroit Pistons Front Office

Staff Member Position Start Season Previous Job
William Davidson Owner, Principal Owner 1974-1975 N/A
Bill Davidson General Manager 1978-1979 N/A
Mike Abdenour Head Athletic Trainer 1975-1976 N/A