For Detroit Pistons fans, the late ’80s and early ’90s weren’t just another era; they were the era. The Bad Boys weren’t pretty, but they didn’t care. They won games, titles, and earned the kind of respect that doesn’t fade with time. One of the anchors of those gritty squads? John “Spider” Salley, a 6’11” forward who brought size, personality, and a unique blend of athleticism and attitude to Detroit’s back-to-back championship runs.
But what happens when a Bad Boy joins the enemy?
From Bad Boys to Bulls
Salley was drafted by the Pistons in 1986 and left Detroit after the 1991-92 season. He later spent time with the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors, but it was his stop in Chicago, yes, that Chicago, that raised eyebrows among Detroit diehards.
Salley recently joined The Rich Eisen Show and opened up about how he ended up on the Chicago Bulls, despite the blood-soaked rivalry of the past.
“We don’t get recruited. This is a job for us…So I had my waivers, and I can choose where I wanted to go, yes. And when Jerry Krauss called, I said yes. James Edwards, Buddha, was already there, and Dennis was Dennis… you know, taking over at that spot.”
-John Salley via The Rich Eisen Show
For Salley, it wasn’t about betrayal, it was about opportunity.
“The NBA is like IBM. You play in the Los Angeles office or you play in the Chicago office. So, I was in the NBA.”
-John Salley via The Rich Eisen Show
And funny enough, Salley revealed he almost became a Bull straight out of college.
“I was supposed to be a Chicago Bull first. At least that’s what Jerry Krauss told me to my three meetings as a high school…, “I’m going to draft you.” And Doug Collins is like, “Yeah.”… I went three times and then they said, the ninth pick, the Chicago Bulls…they said Brad Sellers. … Jerry, he goes, “Hey, long tall, I had to, he shoots the ball better than you do.” I said, No, he doesn’t…Well, I’m going to take it out on him every time I play… I was on a personal vendetta against him.”
-John Salley via The Rich Eisen Show
Bill Laimbeer: “The Vet He Was Supposed To Be”
Despite the Bulls years, Salley’s Pistons roots run deep, and he had plenty to say about the man who shaped his mentality: Bill Laimbeer.
“He is the true American…Bill Laimbeer was about the team and winning…He didn’t try to be my friend. He was the vet he was supposed to be. I didn’t like a lot of things he did, but you know, the proof is in the pudding.”
-John Salley via The Rich Eisen Show
That “pudding” includes 748 career NBA games, a 50.6% field goal percentage, and four NBA championship rings. Salley may not be a Hall of Famer, but he was a key cog in a Hall of Fame-caliber team and one of the most memorable characters from the Bad Boys dynasty.
Salley’s NBA Career by the Numbers
- Games Played: 748
- FG%: 50.6
- FT%: 71.4
- Player Efficiency Rating (PER): 12.8
- Championships: 4 (2 with Detroit Pistons, 1 with Chicago Bulls, 1 with Los Angeles Lakers)
Salley’s path through the league, from Pistons bruiser to bench vet on a Bulls dynasty, reminds us just how small the NBA world really is. And at the end of the day, as Salley puts it, it’s a business.
“When I was young, I just said I wanted to be in the NBA… I loved green and white, wanted to be a Celtic. But the red, white, and blue in Detroit, that was my color.”
-John Salley via The Rich Eisen Show
For Salley, the journey from Detroit to Chicago was less about switching sides and more about extending a career forged in toughness and team-first grit. No matter the jersey, he’ll always be a Bad Boy at heart, and that’s something Pistons fans will never forget.
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