John Salley
Three-time NBA champion and versatile big man known for shot-blocking and personality.
John Thomas Salley (born May 16, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He was one of the first players in NBA history to win championships with three franchises, a feat since matched by Robert Horry, Danny Green, and LeBron James, and he also won championships in three different decades, a milestone preceded by players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Center/Power Forward
- Affiliation
- Detroit Pistons (1986–1992)
- Championships
- 2 (1989, 1990)
- Notable trait
- Defensive Shot Blocker and Rebounder
- Status
- Retired; Hall of Fame Consideration
Lore & Background
Salley played both power forward and center for the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Panathinaikos, and Los Angeles Lakers. He was a long-time host of the former Fox Sports Net show The Best Damn Sports Show Period. He is a vegan activist, chef, and wellness entrepreneur.
Reader's Guide
Salley was drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the 11th overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft out of Georgia Tech. He won NBA championships with the Pistons in 1989 and 1990, with the Chicago Bulls in 1996, and with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. He also played for Panathinaikos in Greece in 1996. In 2006, he was named Commissioner of the American Basketball Association.
Did You Know?
- He holds Georgia Tech's personal fouls record.
- Salley appeared in the 1995 film Bad Boys as Fletcher, a role he reprised in Bad Boys II (2003) and Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024).
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