11 People who turned their backs on the Detroit Pistons

#1: Isiah Thomas 

What?!? Thomas is a Pistons’ legend, the franchise’s greatest player and still acts for an ambassador for all things Detroit. 

But it almost didn’t happen. 

Thomas reportedly tried to talk GM Jack McCloskey out of drafting him in an effort to get to his hometown Chicago Bulls. 

Draft legend says that Thomas went as far as to say Mark Aguirre was a better player. 

But Trader Jack wasn’t having it and drafted Thomas anyway, and the rest is history. Thomas won two titles with the Pistons and is now thought of as the franchise's greatest player, so it worked out pretty well for both sides. 

Thomas is still beloved in Detroit, but it almost never happened.