Joe Dumars

Joe Dumars III (born May 24, 1963) is an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He could play either shooting guard or point guard on offense and was a highly effective defender. He played his entire fourteen-year career with the Detroit Pistons. 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 to point guard following Thomas' retirement in 1994, sharing ball-handling duties with Grant Hill. Dumars was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Dumars served as the president of basketball operations for the Pistons from 2000 to 2014.

Joe Dumars

Dumars in 2005
Sacramento Kings
Position	Interim VP of basketball operations / Interim general manager
League	NBA
Personal information
Born	(1963-05-24) May 24, 1963 Shreveport, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school	Natchitoches Central (Natchitoches, Louisiana)
College	McNeese State (1981–1985)
NBA draft	1985 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18th overall
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Playing career	1985–1999
Position	Shooting guard / Point guard
Number	4
Career history
1985–1999	Detroit Pistons
Career highlights and awards
As player: 2× NBA champion (1989, 1990) NBA Finals MVP (1989) 6× NBA All-Star (1990–1993, 1995, 1997) All-NBA Second Team (1993) 2× All-NBA Third Team (1990, 1991) 4× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1989–1990, 1992–1993) NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1991) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1986) J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (1994) NBA Sportsmanship Award (1996) No. 4 retired by Detroit Pistons Southland Player of the Year (1985) 4× First-team All-Southland (1982–1985) No. 4 retired by McNeese State Cowboys As executive: NBA champion (2004) NBA Executive of the Year (2003)
Career statistics
Points	16,401 (16.1 ppg)
Rebounds	2,203 (2.2 rpg)
Assists	4,612 (4.5 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame as player
College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States World Championship 1994 Canada USA team

Early life

Dumars was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dumars' mother, Ophelia, was a custodian at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches while his father, Joe (Big Joe), was a truck driver.[1]

While Dumars grew up in an athletic family, he actually preferred football as a child, as all five of his brothers were defensive standouts at Natchitoches Central High School. His brother David later played professional football in the USFL. Dumars played defensive back on the football team until junior high school when a big hit on the field directed him toward basketball. His father built a hoop in the backyard. It was here where Dumars would practice his jump shot.[1]

Playing career

During his four years at McNeese State University, Dumars averaged 22.5 points per game, including 25.8 ppg as a senior – good for sixth in the nation. He finished his college career as the 11th leading scorer in NCAA history.

Drafted 18th overall in the first round of the 1985 NBA draft, he played guard for the Detroit Pistons for his entire career, from 1985 to 1999. 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 ever 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. He was the first recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award which has been named the Joe Dumars Trophy.

His number 4 jersey was retired by the Pistons in March 2000. He has the distinction as being the only Pistons player to ever wear this number.

He played for the US national team in the 1994 FIBA World Championship, winning the gold medal.[2]

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
†	Won an NBA championship

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1985–86	Detroit	82	45	23.9	.481	.313	.798	1.5	4.8	0.8	0.1	9.4
1986–87	Detroit	79	75	30.9	.493	.409	.748	2.1	4.5	1.1	0.1	11.8
1987–88	Detroit	82	82	33.3	.472	.211	.815	2.4	4.7	1.1	0.2	14.2
1988–89†	Detroit	69	67	34.9	.505	.483	.850	2.5	5.7	0.9	0.1	17.2
1989–90†	Detroit	75	71	34.4	.480	.400	.900	2.8	4.9	0.8	0.0	17.8
1990–91	Detroit	80	80	38.1	.481	.311	.890	2.3	5.5	1.1	0.1	20.4
1991–92	Detroit	82	82	38.9	.448	.408	.867	2.3	4.6	0.9	0.1	19.9
1992–93	Detroit	77	77	40.2	.466	.375	.864	1.9	4.0	1.0	0.1	23.5
1993–94	Detroit	69	69	37.6	.452	.388	.836	2.2	3.8	0.9	0.1	20.4
1994–95	Detroit	67	67	38.0	.430	.305	.805	2.4	5.5	1.1	0.1	18.1
1995–96	Detroit	67	40	32.7	.426	.406	.822	2.1	4.0	0.6	0.0	11.8
1996–97	Detroit	79	79	37.0	.440	.432	.867	2.4	4.0	0.7	0.0	14.7
1997–98	Detroit	72	72	32.3	.416	.371	.825	1.4	3.5	0.6	0.0	13.1
1998–99	Detroit	38	38	29.4	.411	.403	.836	1.8	3.5	0.6	0.1	11.3
Career		1,018	944	34.5	.460	.382	.843	2.2	4.5	0.9	0.1	16.1
All-Star		6	1	16.3	.400	.333	.500	1.2	3.4	0.2	0.0	5.7

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1986	Detroit	4	4	36.8	.610		.667	3.3	6.3	1.0	0.0	15.0
1987	Detroit	15	15	31.5	.538	.667	.780	1.3	4.8	0.8	0.1	12.7
1988	Detroit	23	23	35.0	.457	.333	.889	2.2	4.9	0.6	0.1	12.3
1989†	Detroit	17	17	36.5	.455	.083	.861	2.6	5.6	0.7	0.1	17.6
1990†	Detroit	20	20	37.7	.458	.263	.876	2.2	4.8	1.1	0.0	18.2
1991	Detroit	15	15	39.2	.429	.405	.845	3.3	4.1	1.1	0.1	20.6
1992	Detroit	5	5	44.2	.471	.500	.789	1.6	3.2	1.0	0.2	16.8
1996	Detroit	3	3	41.0	.457	.357	1.000	4.3	3.7	0.0	0.0	13.7
1997	Detroit	5	5	42.8	.361	.261	.950	1.8	2.0	1.0	0.0	13.8
1999	Detroit	5	5	30.6	.487	.526	1.000	1.4	2.6	0.4	0.0	10.2
Career		112	112	36.6	.462	.358	.855	2.3	4.6	0.8	0.1	15.6

NBA executive career

Dumars became the Pistons' president of basketball operations prior to the start of the 2000–01 season.[3] 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. With the win, Dumars became the first African American executive to lead a team to an NBA championship.[4][5] During the 2005–06 season, the Pistons had its best regular season record in franchise history (64–18).[6] The Pistons made it to the Eastern Conference Finals six straight years (2003–2008) under Dumars' watch.[7] This streak would come to an end in the 2008–09 season when the Pistons were swept in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers.[8]

On February 9, 2014, Dumars fired Maurice Cheeks as head coach and appointed John Loyer as interim head coach.[9][10] On April 14, 2014, the Pistons announced that Dumars would step down as president of basketball operations, yet remain as an advisor to the organization and its ownership team. During his 14 years as President, Dumars guided the organization to a 595–536 (.527) regular-season record, 73 playoff wins, six Eastern Conference Finals appearances (2003–08), six Central Division titles, two Eastern Conference Championships (2004 and 2005), and the 2004 NBA championship.[6]

On June 21, 2019, Dumars was named special advisor to the general manager of the Sacramento Kings.[11] On August 14, 2020, Dumars was named executive Vice-President of Basketball Operations and would assume General Manager duties.[12]

Business interests

Dumars was majority owner as well as CEO and President of Detroit Technologies for approximately 10 years. Founded by Dumars in 1996, Detroit Technologies 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.[13]

Dumars is the founder and owner of the Joe Dumars Fieldhouse, an indoor sports and entertainment facility located in Shelby Township and Detroit.[14]

In August 2017, Dumars was called on to join Independent Sports & Entertainment, an integrated sports, media and entertainment management agency, as president of its basketball division.[15]

See also

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career free throw scoring leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career games played leaders
• Michigan Sports Hall of Fame

References

1. "Legends profile: Joe Dumars". NBA.com. August 24, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
2. 1994 USA Basketball Archived November 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
3. Martin, Susan (June 7, 2000). "Pistons Name Irvine, Dumars". The Buffalo News. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
4. "Detroit's Dumars Named Executive of the Year". NBA.com. May 14, 2003. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
5. "Kings Name Joe Dumars as Special Advisor to General Manager". NBA.com. June 21, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
6. "Detroit Pistons Announce Organizational Changes". NBA.com. April 14, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
7. "ECF: Make It Six Straight". NBA.com. May 13, 2008. Archived from the original on November 19, 2010. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
8. "LeBron takes control as Cavaliers sweep up Pistons". ESPN.com. Associated Press. April 26, 2009. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
9. "Detroit Pistons Relieve Maurice Cheeks of Head Coaching Duties". NBA.com. February 9, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
10. Mayo, David (February 9, 2014). "Pistons owner Tom Gores: Poor progress under Mo Cheeks; John Loyer interim coach". MLive. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
11. "Kings Name Joe Dumars as Special Advisor to General Manager". NBA.com. June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
12. Jay, Tracee (August 14, 2020). "Vlade Divac Steps Down as Kings GM Joe Dumars Named Interim EVP of Basketball Operations". NBA.com. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
13. Snavely, Brent (September 5, 2006). "Dumars sells stake in Detroit Technologies". Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
14. VanderHart, Dirk (August 12, 2004). "Joe Dumars' Fieldhouse creates nonprofit youth foundation". Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
15. Beard, Rod (August 1, 2017). "Ex-Pistons great Joe Dumars joins sports agency". The Detroit News. Retrieved March 5, 2020.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Basketball-Reference.com
• Joe Dumars at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
• Joe Dumars Historical Biography
• Joe Dumars Career Stats
• Complete list of transactions as Pistons GM