John Eddie Long (born August 28, 1956) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player.

Amateur career

Long played high school basketball at

Romulus High School Romulus Senior High School or Romulus High School is the public high school in the city of Romulus, Michigan in Metro Detroit. History In 2013 Inkster High School closed due to the closure of the Inkster School District. Students in the Ink ...

, and signed to play for

Dick Vitale Richard John Vitale (; born June 9, 1939), also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well known for his 41-year tenure as a college basketball broadcaster f ...

at the

University of Detroit The University of Detroit Mercy is a private Roman Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan. It is sponsored by both the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy. The university was founded in 1877 and is the largest Catholic univers ...

. Long established himself quickly with a Detroit program that would produce an unprecedented run during his time with the Titans (1974-1978). Vitale added future NBA players such as Terry Duerod, Terry Tyler and Dennis Boyd and built a dominating independent program at the Jesuit university. Long played shooting guard for the team, averaging 23.3 ppg on a .525 shooting percentage as a senior. UD advanced to the

1977 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament The 1977 NCAA Division I basketball tournament involved 32 American schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the National Champion of Men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on Saturday, March 12, 1977, and ended with ...

in his junior year, defeating

Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the U.S. state of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the ...

in the first round before losing to

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

in the Sweet 16 86-81 to end a stellar season, finishing #12 in the polls. The team was left out of the NCAA in Longs's senior year, 1977–78, playing in the 1978 NIT, despite a 25-4 record and a #18 ranking. In four seasons at Detroit, Long scored 2,167 points, the first Titan to score more than 2000 points, and was inducted into the Detroit Mercy Titans Hall of Fame in 1993.

Professional career

After starring at the

, the shooting guard was selected by the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...

in the second round of the 1978 NBA draft. The move was largely influenced by Pistons Head Coach

, who coached Long at UD before going to the Pistons in 1978. He played eight seasons for the Pistons, and 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. During his time with the Pistons, Long would also play alongside University of Detroit teammates Duerod, Boyd and Tyler. On December 13, 1983, Long scored 41 points, recorded eight assists, and grabbed six rebounds during a 186–184 triple overtime win over the Denver Nuggets. Long left Detroit to play for the Indiana Pacers in 1986, where he paired with

Reggie Miller Reginald Wayne Miller (born August 24, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association (NBA) ca ...

, and then returned to the Pistons in the 1988-89 Detroit Pistons season, helping the team win the NBA championship. He spent the next season with the

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...

and then returned to Detroit in 1990-91, played in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

, the Continental Basketball Association, and even played with a touring team for Magic Johnson. Not done, Long signed with the

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...

in 1996, played with the Raptors for one season, and then retired in 1997 with 12,131 career points. At the time, the 41-year-old Long was the second oldest player in the NBA behind Robert Parish, who was 43.

Personal life

Two of John Long's nephews, Terry Mills and

Grant Long Grant Andrew Long (born March 12, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. He played over 1,000 games for the National Basketball Association over a 15-year career. Long had two relatives who were playing in the NBA during hi ...

, also played in the NBA. The nephews were teammates in Detroit during the 1996–1997 season. All three men played two seasons or more for the Detroit Pistons. Long has worked as a radio analyst for the Pistons. Long was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

, 82 , , – , , 30.5 , , .469 , , – , , .826 , , 3.2 , , 1.5 , , 1.2 , , 0.2 , , 16.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 69 , , – , , 34.3 , , .505 , , .083 , , .825 , , 4.9 , , 3.0 , , 1.9 , , 0.4 , , 19.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 59 , , – , , 29.7 , , .461 , , .182 , , .870 , , 3.3 , , 1.8 , , 1.6 , , 0.4 , , 17.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 69 , , 66 , , 32.0 , , .492 , , .133 , , .865 , , 3.7 , , 2.1 , , 0.9 , , 0.4 , , 21.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 70 , , 30 , , 21.2 , , .451 , , .286 , , .760 , , 2.6 , , 1.5 , , 0.6 , , 0.2 , , 10.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , 82 , , 30.7 , , .472 , , .200 , , .884 , , 3.5 , , 2.5 , , 1.1 , , 0.2 , , 16.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 66 , , 55 , , 27.6 , , .487 , , .333 , , .862 , , 2.9 , , 2.0 , , 1.1 , , 0.2 , , 14.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 62 , , 30 , , 19.0 , , .482 , , .188 , , .856 , , 1.6 , , 1.3 , , 0.7 , , 0.2 , , 10.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, 80 , , 68 , , 28.3 , , .419 , , .284 , , .890 , , 2.7 , , 3.2 , , 1.2 , , 0.1 , , 15.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 81 , , 81 , , 25.0 , , .474 , , .442 , , .907 , , 2.8 , , 2.1 , , 1.0 , , 0.1 , , 12.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 44 , , 1 , , 17.4 , , .401 , , .400 , , .937 , , 1.5 , , 1.5 , , 0.7 , , 0.0 , , 7.3 , - , style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

, 24 , , 0 , , 6.3 , , .475 , , – , , .846 , , 0.5 , , 0.6 , , 0.0 , , 0.1 , , 2.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, 48 , , 19 , , 21.5 , , .453 , , .345 , , .836 , , 1.7 , , 1.8 , , 0.9 , , 0.1 , , 8.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 25 , , 0 , , 10.2 , , .412 , , .333 , , .960 , , 1.3 , , 0.7 , , 0.4 , , 0.1 , , 3.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

, 32 , , 0 , , 11.6 , , .393 , , .353 , , .893 , , 1.3 , , 0.7 , , 0.3 , , 0.1 , , 4.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 893 , , 432 , , 25.4 , , .467 , , .322 , , .862 , , 2.8 , , 1.9 , , 1.0 , , 0.2 , , 13.6

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 5, , –, , 29.8, , .364, , .000, , 1.000, , 2.2, , 0.4, , 1.4, , 0.0, , 11.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 9, , 9, , 28.3, , .457, , .250, , 1.000, , 1.9, , 1.4, , 1.6, , 0.2, , 12.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 **Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal enter ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 1, , 0, , 13.0, , .400, , –, , 1.000, , 1.0, , 0.0, , 1.0, , 0.0, , 7.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 4, , 4, , 27.3, , .308, , .167, , .846, , 1.5, , 2.3, , 1.5, , 0.0, , 11.0 , - , style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;",

1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxon Valdez oil tanker runs ...

† , style="text-align:left;",

, 4, , 0, , 2.0, , 1.000, , –, , 1.000, , 0.0, , 0.0, , 0.0, , 0.0, , 1.3 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 23 , , 13 , , 23.2 , , .399 , , .182 , , .959 , , 1.5 , , 1.0 , , 1.2 , , 0.1 , , 9.7

Notes

External links

Career Stats
{{DEFAULTSORT:Long, John 1956 births Living people African-American basketball players American expatriate basketball people in Canada American expatriate basketball people in France American men's basketball players Atlanta Hawks players Basketball players from Michigan Detroit Pistons announcers Detroit Pistons draft picks Detroit Pistons players Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball players Indiana Pacers players People from Romulus, Michigan Shooting guards Sioux Falls Skyforce (CBA) players Toronto Raptors players Romulus Senior High School alumni 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American sportspeople