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On being traded to Atlanta: "It is a great story. I think I led the rookies in the league in minutes played. On playing with the expansion Heat: "It was great. At Miami, they needed seven or eight players for the team and there was no big-time pressure to beat anyone out.'' But it worked out great going to an expansion team instead of one that only had a few spots on the team that were available. I had led my school to their first NCAA tournament and was the MAC player of the year and the guy (Dan Majerle at Central Michigan) behind me in the league gets picked in the first round (14th to Phoenix). On not being a first-round NBA pick: I was disgruntled. Basketball from that state was on my team … Who did you think the coach was going to play? I thought that made a lot of sense.'' But my uncle (John Long) told me imagine if I go play in the state of Louisiana and Mr. On going to Eastern Michigan: "I could have pretty much gone anywhere and the reason I wanted to get out of the state of Michigan was I noticed that a lot of kids that went to Michigan schools came back home to watch their high schools play and would end up staying at home and missing class. What he does now: Long is a broadcaster for the Pistons for Fox Sports Detroit and is also a popular public speaker. Where he lives: Long, 49, lives in Detroit with his wife of 26 years, Nikki. Long opted to retire and has since gone into broadcasting. But he was told he would have to make the team. Headed into the 2003-04 season, the Philadelphia 76ers called him about coming back and playing one more year. He was moved to Vancouver, spending two years in Canada before one year in Memphis and his final season in Boston. But his second stint in Atlanta was short. He would come back to Atlanta for the lockout-shorted season of 1998-99, when the Hawks beat the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. He spent two miserable years with the Pistons, feuding with coach Doug Collins as his minutes dropped. They gave Smith $48 million and $56 million to Mutombo and Long, along with guard Stacey Augmon, was sent to Detroit for four draft picks. The next season, the Hawks made it to the second round, losing to Orlando but Long has perhaps the best year of his career with 9.6 rebounds a game and 13.1 points, again playing in all 82 regular season games.īut after the 1996 season, the Hawks needed salary cap room to make long-term investments in Smith and Dikembe Mutombo. He made a strong all-around impact that first year, playing in all 79 regular season games he was with the team, averaging 11.7 points and 7.5 points a game. Long joined a rebuilding Hawks team which would go to the playoffs in 1995 (losing to Indiana in first round). Along with guard Steve Smith, another Michigan native, Long was dealt to the Hawks for veteran Kevin Willis two games into the season.
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In seven full seasons with the Heat, he played in 472 games but in 1994, the team was being readied to be sold and began dumping salaries. He also became known for his big goggles, a remedy for getting constantly poked in the eye. His reputation quickly grew for showing up every night and playing a complete game, especially on the boards. The Heat won just 15 games in their inaugural season but Long quickly turned into a productive player on both sides of the court, averaging 11.9 points and 6.7 rebounds in 29 minutes a game. Placed with a team that was trying to fill almost every roster spot, Long was able to play immediately, including all 82 games his rookie season. But he ended up being drafted eighth (33rd overall) in the second round by the expansion Miami Heat, which turned into a blessing. But he then took the Eagles to their first NCAA tournament his senior season, earning the conference tournament MVP and player of the year honors, averaging 23 points and 10.4 rebounds.Īlways a big fan of Magic Johnson who also come from his home state and played his college ball at Michigan State, Long felt that his success at Eastern Michigan would make him a first-round NBA pick. During his junior year, he averaged 14.9 points and nine rebounds a game. The best player to have played for the Eagles was George Gervin (1971-72) but the program needed a boost and Long gave it to them. Looking to play right away, Long went to Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, a member of the Mid-American Conference.