Rick Mahorn

Derrick (Rick) Allen Mahorn (born September 21, 1958 in Hartford, Connecticut) is a former NBA basketball player who, at 6'10", played power forward and center, most notably for the Detroit Pistons. Mahorn played college ball at Hampton University.

As dubbed by Piston announcer George Blaha, Mahorn was the "Baddest Bad Boy of them all." Somewhat short for a center, Mahorn had a huge rear-end that he wasn't afraid to plow people over with. He represented the Bad Boys perfectly with his antics both on the court and off with his infamous media handlings. After being picked up by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1989 Expansion Draft, Pistons GM Jack McCloskey tried in vain to trade to get him back. The Wolves wouldn't have it, and Detroit lost one of its most beloved sports figures. However, Mahorn didn't last long in Minnesota, eventually finding his way to the Philadelphia 76ers and teaming with superstar Charles Barkley to form the top-rebounding duo of "Thump N' Bump." Rick later played for the New Jersey Nets before returning to the Pistons in 1997. He retired in 1999 as a 76er. Currently, he serves as a color commentator with Bill Laimbeer for Detroit Pistons television broadcasts, and as an assistant coach under Laimbeer with the WNBA's Detroit Shock.

Hard court incidents

• During a 1988 playoff game, Mahorn intensely guarded Kevin McHale who was seeking the ball from a teammate. As the teammate began to pass the ball to McHale, Mahorn suddenly let his guard down causing McHale to fall down the floor as the ball went out of bounds.

• This is from memory. In the 80s with the Bullets, the point guard was Frank Johnson. They had a play where, when there was pressure in the backcourt on Johnson, they'd set a halfcourt pick with Mahorn. Johnson would run past him, trying to run his man into Mahorn. They worked this successfully a couple of times. One time, Andrew Toney was knocked out. The game was delayed as they tried to revive him. I recall listening to Mel Proctor, the Bullets radio man at the time, describing the scene, filling in air time.

Trivia

• After the Pistons' 1990 Championship Series win over the Los Angeles Lakers and Mahorn's subsequent release from the Pistons, a phone call from Mahorn to Pistons' center Bill Laimbeer revealed Laimbeer's words to Mahorn as having said "I can't talk to you; you are the ENEMY!" as Mahorn in vain tried to get Laimbeer to see that basketball is a just a game, but friendship is friendship. Ironic that they are now working together.