The Franchise: Building a Winner with the World Champion Detroit Pistons, Basketball's Bad Boys

The winners of the NBA playoffs for the 1988-89 season were the Detroit Pistons, long a poor-to-mediocre team, but one that had come close to triumph in 1987-88. The story of how the Pistons became champions is told here by the author of The Sweeps , who concentrates on general manager Jack McCloskey but also pays close attention to the other officials, coaches and players involved. The victorious team was put together over a period of years, with the final player added during one of the most unpopular trades in Piston history, when Adrian Dantley was sent away. Stauth attributes McCloskey's success to choosing players with a passion to compete, and to his ability to assemble a squad with the proper balance of youth and experience. This examination of a franchise from top to bottom is conscientious and detailed. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour. (May)