DETROIT – September 26, 2022 – Today, the Detroit Pistons announced they will honor the life and legacy of Bob Lanier during the 2022-23 NBA season. The team will wear a “16” stripe on the upper-right section of their jerseys throughout the season.
In addition to the season-long wearing of the commemorative stripe, the Pistons will host a Bob Lanier tribute night on January 23 as they host the Milwaukee Bucks at Little Caesars Arena.
Drafted out of St. Bonaventure by the Detroit Pistons with the No. 1 overall selection in the 1970 NBA Draft, Bob Lanier quickly established himself as one of the greatest centers in NBA history. The Buffalo, N.Y. native earned seven of his eight career NBA All-Star selections with Detroit while spending the first nine-plus of his 14 NBA seasons in a Pistons uniform. Lanier made the NBA All-Star team each season from 1972-75 and 1977-79 and was named Most Valuable Player in the 1974 NBA All-Star Game. He ranks as the Pistons all-time leader in scoring average (22.7 ppg) and double-doubles (442) and ranks among the career leaders in franchise history in numerous total categories, including third in points (15,488) and rebounds (8,063), second in field goals (6,276), fourth in blocks (859) and seventh in games played (681).
Known as one of basketball’s great representatives on and off the court, Lanier won the 1978 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Lanier was a global ambassador for the NBA, traveling the world on behalf of the league and making a positive impact across the globe. Lanier was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.
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