Earl Cureton, a Detroit high school and college star who went on to play for the Pistons and later served as a community ambassador for the organization, died Sunday at the age of 66.
Known as “Earl the Twirl,” Cureton had a stellar career at Detroit Finney High School and then played one season at Robert Morris before returning home and returning to the University of Detroit to play for Dick Vitale.
Cureton and Vitale led Detroit to the NCAA Tournament in 1979, with Cureton leading the team with 19.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
He was then drafted in the third round by the Philadelphia 76ers, where he spent three years and was a member of the Sixers’ title-winning team in 1983.
Cureton then returned to Detroit and signed with his hometown Pistons the following season.
During his 17-year NBA career, Cureton also played for the Houston Rockets (which Houston won again in 1994, defeating the Knicks in the NBA Finals), as well as the Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, and Toronto Raptors.
He played in 674 NBA games, averaging 5.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game before retiring in 1997.
Cureton also played professionally in Italy, France, Argentina, and Mexico.
As part of his latest stint with the Pistons, Cureton appeared on the team’s radio broadcast on Friday in place of an ill Rick Mahone.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Cureton was scheduled to broadcast the Pistons’ game against Orlando on Sunday at Bally Sports Detroit.
Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, who played with Cureton on the Pistons, said in a statement: “We are all hurt. He was a great teammate, a formidable competitor, a champion and a great human being. Earl will always be a Detroit fan. He held his community in his heart and worked tirelessly to make a difference in the city he loved. He will be sorely missed.”
The Pistons released their own statement saying the organization is “deeply saddened by the passing of Earl Cureton, who was an extremely important person to our organization as a colleague, former player, community ambassador and friend.” While he was a tough competitor on the court during his playing days, he was just as kind-hearted, outgoing and influential off the court.
“He represented our franchise with great passion and truly enjoyed giving back and improving the lives of the people of Detroit in the city he loved. Earl during this most difficult time. My deepest condolences go out to his family and countless friends and teammates.”
