If Taj Gibson plays for the Detroit Pistons this season, he would become the 28th different player to appear in a game, setting a franchise record and tying the NBA mark for the fourth most of all time.
Gibson, 38, would become the 54th player to take the court as a Piston over the past three seasons, per beat writer Mike Curtis of The Detroit News. The 15-year veteran signed a 10-day contract with Detroit last Wednesday.
If Taj Gibson plays this season for the #Pistons, he will be their 28th different player to appear in a game, setting a franchise record and tying for the fourth-most in NBA history. Gibson would be the 54th player to take the court as a Piston over the past three seasons.
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) March 13, 2024
“I just like having another veteran guy around our team,” Pistons coach Monty Williams told Curtis during an interview when asked why the team added Gibson.
“We look at Evan [Fournier] and how he’s had an impact on the floor and in some other areas. Taj is an example of how you handle your business on the court, it can pay dividends in other areas.”
Of course, Gibson has yet to make his Detroit debut.
The Pistons are Gibson’s sixth NBA team. The New York native was selected 26th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2009 NBA Draft out of USC. The 6-foot-9 center played his first eight seasons (2009-2016) with Chicago.
Taj Gibson could become the 54th player to take the court in a Detroit Pistons uniform over the past three seasons
The former Bull went on to spend the 2016-17 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he played two seasons (2017-19) with the Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the New York Knicks (2019-22).
Gibson then inked a deal with the Washington Wizards and spent the entire 2022-23 season with the club. He was waived this past October after signing a veteran minimum deal.
In December, he signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Knicks after starting center Mitchell Robinson suffered a left ankle injury. However, he made only 10 appearances off the bench, averaging career lows of 1.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 9.7 minutes.
James Wiseman on Taj Gibson:
“He’s given me a lot of confidence, always speaking to me, always telling me just play my game”
Vets matter 👏
(h/t @Pistons__Talk ) pic.twitter.com/k3WNtPiyJ9
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 12, 2024
Gibson was waived by the Knicks on Jan. 7, then signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the club. He appeared in a total of 16 games this season with New York, averaging 10 minutes per contest.
Furthermore, Gibson has made 961 career appearances (450 starts) across 15 seasons. His career averages are 8.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 block, and 23.5 minutes per game. He’s shot 51.8% from the field and 71.3% at the foul line as well.
While Gibson is out of his prime, his veteran leadership is making a positive impact on the Pistons’ younger standouts. One player he has affected on and off the court is James Wiseman.
“He’s given me a lot of confidence, always speaking to me, always telling me just play my game,” Wiseman said about the USC product.
