Last Updated on September 17, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Detroit Pistons > Roster & Statistics
The 1980–81 Detroit Pistons relied on Kelly Tripucka as their primary scorer, with John Long providing another consistent perimeter scoring option. Kent Benson anchored the frontcourt through efficient interior scoring and rebounding, while Kevin Porter directed the offence as the team’s leading playmaker. Detroit’s statistics reflected an offence capable of producing points through multiple contributors, but inconsistent defence and rebounding prevented the team from sustaining overall success.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DOB | COL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Bob McAdoo | PF | 6-9 | 210 | September 25, 1951 | Vincennes University, UNC |
| 15 | Larry Wright | PG | 6-1 | 160 | November 23, 1954 | Grambling State University |
| 22 | Larry Drew | PG | 6-1 | 170 | April 2, 1958 | Missouri |
| 25 | John Long | SG | 6-5 | 195 | August 28, 1956 | Detroit Mercy |
| 30 | Ron Lee | PG | 6-4 | 193 | November 2, 1952 | Oregon |
| 32 | Greg Kelser | SF | 6-7 | 190 | September 17, 1957 | Michigan State |
| 33 | Keith Herron | SG | 6-6 | 195 | June 14, 1956 | Villanova |
| 35 | Phil Hubbard | PF | 6-8 | 215 | December 13, 1956 | Michigan |
| 41 | Terry Tyler | SF | 6-7 | 215 | October 30, 1956 | Detroit Mercy |
| 42 | Wayne Robinson | PF | 6-8 | 217 | April 19, 1958 | Virginia Tech |
| 43 | Tony Fuller | SG | 6-4 | 180 | September 4, 1958 | Vincennes University, Pepperdine |
| 44, 53 | Paul Mokeski | C | 7-0 | 250 | January 3, 1957 | Kansas |
| 50 | Norman Black | SG | 6-5 | 185 | November 12, 1957 | Saint Joseph’s |
| 50 | Lee Johnson | PF | 6-11 | 205 | June 16, 1957 | Montana, Texas A&M University-Commerce |
| 50 | Edmund Lawrence | C | 7-0 | 228 | December 8, 1952 | McNeese State University |
| 54 | Kent Benson | C | 6-11 | 245 | December 27, 1954 | Indiana |
Regular Season Per Game
| PLR | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Long | SG | 24 | 59 | 59 | 29.7 | 17.7 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 16.2 | 7.5 | .461 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .182 | 3.1 | 2.7 | .870 |
| Kent Benson | C | 26 | 59 | 59 | 33.2 | 15.7 | 6.8 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 13.1 | 6.2 | .473 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.3 | 3.3 | .772 |
| Phil Hubbard | PF | 24 | 80 | 80 | 28.6 | 14.5 | 7.3 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.9 | 11.0 | 5.4 | .492 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .333 | 5.3 | 3.7 | .690 |
| Keith Herron | SG | 24 | 80 | 80 | 28.4 | 13.7 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 11.9 | 5.4 | .453 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .182 | 3.3 | 2.9 | .854 |
| Terry Tyler | SF | 24 | 82 | 82 | 31.1 | 13.4 | 6.9 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 10.9 | 5.8 | .532 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.0 | 1.8 | .592 |
| Greg Kelser | SF | 23 | 25 | 25 | 26.2 | 12.3 | 4.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 11.4 | 4.8 | .421 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.2 | 2.7 | .642 |
| Bob McAdoo | PF | 29 | 6 | 6 | 28.0 | 12.0 | 6.8 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 13.7 | 5.0 | .366 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.3 | 2.0 | .600 |
| Wayne Robinson | PF | 22 | 81 | 81 | 19.7 | 7.9 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 6.3 | 2.9 | .460 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.0 | 2.2 | .729 |
| Larry Wright | PG | 26 | 45 | 45 | 22.2 | 7.4 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 6.7 | 3.1 | .462 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .286 | 1.5 | 1.2 | .803 |
| Paul Mokeski | C | 24 | 80 | 80 | 22.7 | 7.1 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 5.7 | 2.8 | .489 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.5 | 1.5 | .600 |
| Larry Drew | PG | 22 | 76 | 76 | 20.8 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 2.2 | 6.4 | 2.6 | .407 | 0.2 | 0.1 | .235 | 1.8 | 1.4 | .797 |
| Ron Lee | PG | 28 | 82 | 0 | 22.3 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 3.9 | 1.4 | .350 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .154 | 1.9 | 1.4 | .724 |
| Tony Fuller | SG | 22 | 15 | 15 | 16.5 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 4.4 | 1.6 | .364 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.1 | 0.8 | .750 |
| Edmund Lawrence | C | 28 | 3 | 3 | 6.3 | 4.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 1.7 | .625 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.3 | 0.7 | .500 |
| Norman Black | SG | 23 | 3 | 3 | 9.3 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 1.0 | .300 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.7 | 0.7 | .250 |
| Lee Johnson | PF | 23 | 2 | 2 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 |
| Team Totals | 82 | 240.9 | 99.7 | 40.4 | 22.2 | 10.8 | 6.0 | 21.5 | 85.2 | 39.5 | .463 | 1.0 | 0.2 | .155 | 28.4 | 20.6 | .725 |
Regular Season Totals
| PLR | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Hubbard | PF | 24 | 80 | 80 | 2289 | 1161 | 586 | 150 | 80 | 20 | 229 | 880 | 433 | .492 | 3 | 1 | .333 | 426 | 294 | .690 |
| Terry Tyler | SF | 24 | 82 | 82 | 2549 | 1100 | 567 | 136 | 112 | 180 | 163 | 895 | 476 | .532 | 8 | 0 | .000 | 250 | 148 | .592 |
| Keith Herron | SG | 24 | 80 | 80 | 2270 | 1094 | 211 | 148 | 91 | 26 | 153 | 954 | 432 | .453 | 11 | 2 | .182 | 267 | 228 | .854 |
| John Long | SG | 24 | 59 | 59 | 1750 | 1044 | 197 | 106 | 95 | 22 | 151 | 957 | 441 | .461 | 11 | 2 | .182 | 184 | 160 | .870 |
| Kent Benson | C | 26 | 59 | 59 | 1956 | 924 | 400 | 172 | 72 | 67 | 190 | 770 | 364 | .473 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 254 | 196 | .772 |
| Wayne Robinson | PF | 22 | 81 | 81 | 1592 | 643 | 294 | 112 | 46 | 24 | 149 | 509 | 234 | .460 | 6 | 0 | .000 | 240 | 175 | .729 |
| Paul Mokeski | C | 24 | 80 | 80 | 1815 | 568 | 418 | 135 | 38 | 73 | 160 | 458 | 224 | .489 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 200 | 120 | .600 |
| Larry Drew | PG | 22 | 76 | 76 | 1581 | 504 | 120 | 249 | 88 | 7 | 166 | 484 | 197 | .407 | 17 | 4 | .235 | 133 | 106 | .797 |
| Ron Lee | PG | 28 | 82 | 0 | 1829 | 341 | 220 | 362 | 166 | 29 | 173 | 323 | 113 | .350 | 13 | 2 | .154 | 156 | 113 | .724 |
| Larry Wright | PG | 26 | 45 | 45 | 997 | 335 | 88 | 153 | 42 | 7 | 74 | 303 | 140 | .462 | 7 | 2 | .286 | 66 | 53 | .803 |
| Greg Kelser | SF | 23 | 25 | 25 | 654 | 308 | 120 | 45 | 34 | 29 | 78 | 285 | 120 | .421 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 106 | 68 | .642 |
| Bob McAdoo | PF | 29 | 6 | 6 | 168 | 72 | 41 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 18 | 82 | 30 | .366 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 20 | 12 | .600 |
| Tony Fuller | SG | 22 | 15 | 15 | 248 | 60 | 42 | 28 | 10 | 1 | 23 | 66 | 24 | .364 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 16 | 12 | .750 |
| Edmund Lawrence | C | 28 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | .625 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 4 | 2 | .500 |
| Norman Black | SG | 23 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 | .300 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 8 | 2 | .250 |
| Lee Johnson | PF | 23 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Team Totals | 82 | 19755 | 8174 | 3312 | 1819 | 884 | 492 | 1729 | 6986 | 3236 | .463 | 84 | 13 | .155 | 2330 | 1689 | .725 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index* | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent Benson | Starting Center / Interior Anchor | 33.2 | High-Moderate | 15.7 | 6.8 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 14.3 | As the starting center, Benson carried a heavy front-court load, providing scoring inside, solid rebounding and rim-protection; he functioned as the team’s primary big man and interior focal point. | — |
| Terry Tyler | Wing/Forward Two-Way Starter | 31.1 | High-Moderate | 13.4 | 6.9 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 13.3 | Tyler delivered a balanced two-way role: efficient scoring inside/outside, good rebounding for his size and strong defensive activity (steals + blocks) — a key “glue” player throughout the season. | — |
| Phil Hubbard | Frontcourt 1st-Unit Forward / Rebounder-Scorer | 28.6 | Moderate-High | 14.5 | 7.3 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 12.5 | As frontcourt starter or heavy rotation, Hubbard combined scoring with consistent rebounding — adding interior stability and second-chance opportunities. | — |
| John Long | Primary Wing Scorer / Shooting Guard | 29.7 | High | 17.7 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 11.4 | Long was a key perimeter scorer (leading guard scoring), relied on for offensive creation especially when ball-movement to the post was limited; provided perimeter shot attempts and scoring punch. | — |
| Keith Herron | Secondary Wing / Complementary Scorer | 28.4 | Moderate | 13.7 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 9.8 | Herron served as a complementary wing — offering scoring off the wing, spacing, and occasional perimeter play; helped relieve pressure off primary scorers. | — |
| Ron Lee | Back-up Point / Off-Ball Handler & Facilitator | 22.3 | Low-Moderate | 4.2 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 2.4 | 6.9 | As a reserve guard, Lee provided play-making and ball-movement, enabling rest for starters; his contributions in assists and steals added some depth support on both ends. | — |
| Larry Wright | Reserve Guard / Spot Minutes PG | 22.2 | Low | 7.4 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 6.9 | Wright delivered modest scoring and play-making in limited minutes — a depth guard who could step in as needed without major defensive or rebounding burdens. | — |
| Bob McAdoo | Veteran Front-court Plug / Short-term Contributor | 28.0 | Low | 12.0 | 6.8 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 12.3 | Though in very limited games, McAdoo brought veteran scoring and front-court versatility, offering a scoring-and-rebound lift in spot minutes — likely used situationally to stretch the floor or provide offense. | — |
| Paul Mokeski | Backup Big / Deep Front-Court Rotation | 22.7 | Low | 7.1 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 7.7 | Provided size and interior depth — giving the team rest minutes for starters while still contributing modest scoring and boards. | — |
| Wayne Robinson | Small-Ball Forward / Reserve Front-court Role | 19.7 | Low | 7.9 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 7.0 | As a depth forward, Robinson offered some scoring punch and rotation flexibility — useful when managing starters’ minutes or matching up against certain lineups. | — |
| Larry Drew | Backup Ball-Handler / Low-Usage PG | 20.8 | Low | 6.6 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 6.4 | Provided additional play-making support, facilitating offense when starters rested; primarily a secondary ball-manager rather than a scoring threat. | — |
| Tony Fuller | Deep Bench Guard / Spot Shooting Option | 16.5 | Very Low | 4.0 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 4.2 | Limited minutes; used for situational shooting, spacing or as a low-usage bench guard. | — |
| Greg Kelser | Young Forward / Fringe Rotation Option | 26.2 | Low | 12.3 | 4.8 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 10.7 | Played limited games (25), but when on court offered some scoring and athletic front-court presence — likely a younger rotation piece still finding a role. | — |
| Norman Black | Extreme Reserve / Minimal Role Guard-Forward | 9.3 | Very Low | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 2.2 | Barely used — only a handful of games; minimal impact and likely a non-rotation player. | — |
| Edmund Lawrence | Emergency Big / Marginal Depth | 6.3 | Very Low | 4.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 3.3 | Appeared in very few games; provided occasional minutes in deep reserve situations. | — |
| Lee Johnson | Marginal Front-court Reserve | 5.0 | Very Low | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | Virtually no impact — played negligible minutes with no statistical contribution. | — |