Detroit Finney Graduate, Former NBA Player Earl Cureton Dies Unexpectedly at 66 Years Old

Earl Cureton, former Pistons player and community ambassador with the organization for the last 10 years, passed away unexpectedly of a presumed heart attack this morning at the age of 66. The beloved Detroit native and Finney High School graduate was a 12-year NBA veteran. He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 58th overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. Known as “The Twirl”, the 6-9 forward was a part of two NBA championships teams, the 76ers in 1982-83 and the Houston Rockets in 1993-94. Cureton also played three seasons with the Detroit Pistons (1983-86, where he averaged 5.9 points in 234 games) and spent time with the Chicago Bulls, LA Clippers, Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors. Cureton’s most successful individual NBA season was his 1985-86 campaign and his final year with the Pistons. That year, he averaged 8.6 points on 51% shooting, with 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and just under one block and steal per game over 80 games. Former Pistons player and Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas said in a statement, “All of us are hurting with the unexpected loss of Earl Cureton. He was a tremendous teammate, tough competitor, a champion and a great...