Dave DeBusscherre is an underappreciated great of the game.
Born in 1940 in Detroit, DeBusscherre was a talented basketball and baseball player. He attended the University of Detroit (now Detroit Mercy). Like Danny Ainge and Duke legend Dick Groat, DeBusscherre played professionally in both sports.
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Amazingly, in 1964-65, at the tender age of 24, he was named player-coach of the Detroit Pistons. His greatest fame came after he was traded to the New York Knicks and became a key part of two championship teams there.
DeBusscherre was famous for intensity, defense, and hustle. When you watch this video, you’ll see just how much his teammates thought of him. He was really the final piece of a great team.
He retired in 1974, and after working for the ABA’s New York Nets for a year, became the final commissioner of the ABA, helping to organize the 1976 merger.
After that, he went back to the Knicks and ultimately got to draft Patrick Ewing in 1985.
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Sadly, DeBusscherre died of a heart attack on a Manhattan street in 2003.
He was a tremendous player though and his ability to accept and perfect his role with the Knicks was a key to their brilliant post-Celtics dynasty run.
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