According to the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit Pistons will officially retire Chauncey Billups’ no. 1 and Ben Wallace’s no. 3 jerseys. There will be two separate game ceremonies for each player.
Pistons will retire Chauncey Billups’ #1 and Ben Wallace’s #3 later this season. (via Detroit Free Press) pic.twitter.com/PGlwmtTexk
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 29, 2015
This was something a lot of fans, including myself have been waiting for as they both were key members of that historic 2004 team that reached the Finals and beat the Los Angeles Lakers. While it has been confirmed that the jersey retirements will be done for both players this season, the games in which they’ll take place have not been announced yet.
Chauncey Billups spent six years with the Pistons from 2002-2008. During that stretch he made the Eastern Conference Finals all six times, made two NBA Finals appearance winning one, and also receiving Finals MVP. He was also a multiple time All-Star and also received All-NBA and All-Defensive team selection. Billups was the unquestioned leader for the 2004 Finals winning team. He finished his career with the Pistons playing only 19 games during the 2013-2014 season.
Ben Wallace was brought in and was the defensive anchor for this Pistons club in the 2000’s. Along with his championship ring in ’04, he was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times, a four time All-Star, and six time NBA-Defensive selection. Wallace is arguably one of the best rebounding and shot blocking centers of all time.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Reggie Jackson and Stanley Johnson as they currently wear the jersey numbers 1 and 3 respectively. We saw the same thing happen when the Pistons retired Dennis Rodman’s no. 10 and Greg Monroe was allowed to keep wearing #10. My guess is that both Jackson and Johnson will be allowed to wear them until they leave the team or better yet just wear the number for the rest of the season and change it next summer.
Our congratulations go out to both Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups on this phenomenal accomplishment!
