Shaquille O’Neal is one of the legends of the NBA, and is now also a famous commentator in the most prestigious basketball league in the world. He once said that the Detroit Pistons are a “boring” team when hosting a podcast called The Big Pod.

However, these are also somewhat emotional comments from Shaquille O’Neal, as he himself rarely watches the Detroit Pistons play. Shaquille even confused coach Chauncey Billups as leading the Detroit Pistons, while this position belongs to JB Bickerstaff.

In this article, The Sporting News will cite details that show that the Detroit Pistons are a much more interesting team to watch than the emotional comments that Shaquille O’Neal made.

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Five Reasons to Believe the Detroit Pistons Are One of the Best Teams to Watch in the NBA

Detroit Pistons are the most improved team in the 2024/25 season

Over the past 5 years, the Detroit Pistons have always been considered the weakest team in the NBA. This is not wrong, especially in the 2023/24 season, the Detroit Pistons only had a record of 14 wins – 68 losses and were at the bottom of the NBA for 2 consecutive years. They set a record with a series of 28 consecutive losses in just 1 season, and the offense played very poorly.

The Detroit Pistons have been completely transformed this season. As of March 15, 2025, they have a record of 37 wins – 30 losses and are currently sitting comfortably in 6th place in the Eastern Conference standings. Barring any surprises, the Detroit Pistons will secure a spot in the Playoffs this year.

It can be said that the Detroit Pistons are the most progressive team in the 2024/25 season. They have not received proper attention from experts and fans, and rarely appear on live television in the US. In the Playoff, many opinions say that the Detroit Pistons can completely create a surprise.

Cade Cunningham plays with All-Star caliber

Cade Cunningham is the epitome of progress for the Detroit Pistons. This season, the 2001-born player made his first All-Star appearance and is also in the running for the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year award.

Since being selected as Pick 1 of the 2021 NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham has never had such comprehensive development as he does now. He has played almost every game of the season without being hindered by injury. Looking at the statistics, Cade Cunningham is averaging 25.9 points, 3 assists, and an efficiency of up to 46.2% – the best numbers in 4 years playing in the NBA.

Before 2021, many people said that Cade Cunningham had the potential to become a top superstar and now, the player born in 2001 shows that this is completely correct.

Isaiah Stewart, One of the Most Underrated Defensive Players in the NBA

Isaiah Stewart is an underrated player in the NBA. All most fans remember about him is his altercation with LeBron James years ago, and even wanting to “take action” against The King after being elbowed in the face.

Currently, Isaiah Stewart is still… hot-tempered, but he is on his way to becoming one of the top defensive players in the basket area. His fierceness, fearlessness and tough playing style are Stewart’s advantages. If you take the time to look for Isaiah Stewart’s defensive highlights, you will easily see the 2001-born player’s strong denial of scoring opportunities from his opponents.

Although he plays as a main forward (PF) and center (C), Isaiah Stewart has much more flexible defensive ability. His height of 2m03 still gives him enough agility and flexible feet to improvise in the make-up phase, supporting the perimeter players well.

If Isaiah Stewart played for a team with media attention like the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks, he would likely be voted into the league’s All-Defensive team.

In the early 2000s, the Detroit Pistons were known for their tough, athletic, and fearless defensive center Ben Wallace. Now, they have a player with similar qualities.

Malik Beasley’s fearsome 3-point shooting ability

Malik Beasley has always been one of the NBA’s most feared shooters. As of March 15, 2024/25, he averaged 42% of his three-point attempts, ranking 14th in the league. However, in terms of three-point attempts alone, Malik Beasley has 261 three-pointers, a record second only to Anthony Edwards.

After years of struggling to find his place in the NBA, Malik Beasley finally got his chance to shine with the Detroit Pistons. The 1996-born player once asked the team not to include him in the trade list because he loves the city of Detroit. 

Dunks heighten fan excitement

Not only do they have a well-rounded player, an excellent defender, and a sharpshooter, the Detroit Pistons are also the team with the highest number of dunks in the entire NBA. As of March 12, the Detroit Pistons had 453 dunks, while the second-place team had not even reached 400.

The Detroit Pistons have no shortage of explosive, physical players who can make spectacular dunks, like Jalen Duren or Ausar Thompson. The video below is proof.

Although Cade Cunningham is a player who is primarily a scorer, ball handler and playmaker, he can also dunk when needed. This comes from Cade Cunningham’s excellent physical foundation and his height of 1m98, which is superior to many other guards in the tournament.

If Shaquille O’Neal had been watching the Detroit Pistons this season, he might have had a different perspective. They’re a young, well-coordinated team that’s improving on the court. The Detroit Pistons may not be championship contenders yet, but that could change in the near future.