Acquired in a three-team deal in February 2004 — the move that changed the math. Could guard fives, shoot threes, anchor the second-side, and bring a personality the locker room needed.
Detroit had been quietly excellent before Rasheed arrived. After the trade they were championship favorites. They played 26 games together in the regular season and went on to take the title in five over the Lakers.
Played five and a half seasons in Detroit, made an All-Star game (2006), and shot more threes than any non-Antoine-Walker big man of his era. "Ball don't lie" is his contribution to basketball English. He was right about that more often than he was wrong.