Dave Bing | |
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74th Mayor of Detroit | |
In office May 11, 2009 – January 1, 2014 | |
Preceded by | Kenneth Cockrel Jr. |
Succeeded by | Mike Duggan |
Personal details | |
Born | Washington, D.C., U.S. | November 24, 1943
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Yvette Bing |
Education | Syracuse University |
Profession | Professional athlete, businessman, politician |
Basketball career | |
Personal information | |
Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Spingarn (Washington, D.C.) |
College | Syracuse (1963–1966) |
NBA draft | 1966: 1st round, 2nd overall pick |
Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
Playing career | 1966–1978 |
Position | Point guard |
Number | 21, 44 |
Career history | |
1966–1975 | Detroit Pistons |
1975–1977 | Washington Bullets |
1977–1978 | Boston Celtics |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career statistics | |
Points | 18,327 (20.3 ppg) |
Rebounds | 3,420 (3.8 rpg) |
Assists | 5,397 (6.0 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Basketball Hall of Fame | |
Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame | |
David Bing (born November 24, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player, businessman, and politician who served as the 74th mayor of Detroit, Michigan from 2009 to 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
After starring at Syracuse University, Bing played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a point guard for the Detroit Pistons (1966–1975), Washington Bullets (1975–1977), and Boston Celtics (1977–78). During his career, he averaged over 20 points and six assists per game and made seven NBA All-Star Game appearances, winning the game's Most Valuable Player award in 1976. The Pistons celebrated his career accomplishments with the retirement of his #21 jersey. In addition, he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and the NBA 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.[1][2]
Bing founded Bing Steel, a processing company that earned him the National Minority Small Business Person of the Year award in 1984. Soon the business grew into the multimillion-dollar Detroit-based conglomerate, the Bing Group, one of the largest steel companies in Michigan.
Bing entered Detroit politics as a Democrat in 2008, announcing his intentions to run for mayor in the city's non-partisan primary to finish the term of Kwame Kilpatrick, who had resigned amid a corruption scandal. After winning the primary, Bing then defeated Interim Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. and was sworn in as mayor in May 2009. Later that year, Bing was re-elected to a full term. However, he lost most of his power to Detroit's emergency manager Kevyn Orr, had numerous health problems, and suffered approval ratings as low as 14%. Bing thus did not seek re-election in 2013 and was succeeded by politician and businessman Mike Duggan.