NBA Draft 2016: Every team’s most underrated pick ever
By Brad Rowland
Detroit Pistons: Dennis Rodman, No. 27 pick, 1986 NBA Draft
Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and even Grant Hill would rank ahead of Dennis Rodman when discussing the great NBA Draft picks in the history of the Detroit Pistons. With that out of the way, many fans remember Rodman solely for his play in San Antonio and Chicago, leaving his formative years in Detroit as a very underrated portion of his playing career.
For starters, Rodman was a super value with the number 27 pick. Though he spent “only” seven seasons in Detroit, he emerged as one of the best rebounders in the NBA, averaging 11.5 boards per game on the whole and posting back-to-back seasons with at least 18 (!) rebounds per contest in his final two years (1991-1992 and 1992-1993) with the Pistons.
Young Dennis Rodman was also much more than just a rebounder, as he served as one of the premier all-court defenders in the NBA and an irritant to some of the biggest stars in the league. Michael Jordan didn’t enjoy facing off with Rodman at his athletic peak, and while he became more famous after he left, Detroit should be thoroughly pleased with the time that Rodman spent with the organization.
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