NBA Hall of Famer Joe Dumars Goes from Louisiana Kid to Detroit Superstar (Part 2)

An NBA all-star six times. Member of the All-Defensive first team four times. Two-time NBA champion. NBA finals MVP. And the hardest part about walking away from the National Basketball Association for Joe Dumars after his 14th season? “Nothing. Zero. I wrapped it up and put a bow on it.”

At the beginning of the 1998/9 season, Joe was 35; he remained in excellent shape and had never sustained any major injuries, but declared that this season was going to be his last. Early in his career, he had seen players stay too long. “I never wanted to be like that.” So after the last game, he untied his shoes, set down the ball and took the express elevator from the basketball court of the Detroit Pistons’ Palace of Auburn Hills straight to the executive office.

Joe’s biggest rival, the legendary Michael Jordan, retired three times, but there was nothing in Joe’s transition from donning sweaty jerseys to freshly pressed suits that made him want to stare at his career, ponder over it and rip off the newly tied bow like an eager child on his birthday. “I said to my teammates, wife and friends-when that last game is over, I will never pick up a basketball and play again. And I never have.”

Three weeks after walking out of the locker room for the last time, he sat across the desk from his former teammates, negotiating contracts of the men with whom he had just shared the court. He focused his mindset to ease the transition: “The biggest thing is that I detached myself from being an ex-athlete and threw myself into being an executive and nothing else.” He had been a player and now was an executive-a far cry from most athletes whose playing career remains a defining point for the rest of their lives.

Joe made sure to translate all the effort he showed as a player to his role as President of Basketball Operations. “Everybody knows I’m here at 8 in the morning. I put hours in, don’t shortcut, am very meticulous and can be critical of myself.”

He has not forgotten his playing career, however. In fact, many of the lessons he learned as a leader on the court are invaluable for his new position. “One thing I do is try to be a selfless leader,” he explains. “I never throw any of my people under the bus, because if I do that it trickles down all the way to the players.”

Joe uses his unique position as a successful ex-athlete to help mentor the organization’s new players. His advice begins with the old mantra of unselfish play, but his guidance involving life after basketball is, he believes, most important. “I tell these new guys, don’t allow whatever sport you’re playing to become your entire identity. If the only that thing people can say after you retire is that ‘he could really run fast’ or ‘he could really jump high’ and you’ve had no impact other than on that court, then wow, what a waste.”

Indeed, Joe is making the most of his life after basketball-one he still finds invigorating. Now in his 10th year as president, he remains “excited for the unknown.” As the roster evolves and the competition changes, he remains one of the NBA’s best executives.

Joe’s #4 jersey has been in the rafters since 2000. “Most of the players have never seen me go onto the court and shoot a ball. They pass it to me and say, ‘Come on!’ I don’t even know if I can shoot anymore,” he relates with a laugh.

It’s easy to laugh now, with quite a career to smile about and an equally bright one in progress.