Editing Rick Mahorn (section)

==Playing career==
Mahorn was drafted by the [[Washington Bullets]] in the second round of the [[1980 NBA draft]]. While on the Bullets, Mahorn and all-star teammate [[Jeff Ruland]] were dubbed the "Beef Brothers" for their physicality and tough play when paired together on the court.<ref>{{cite web |title=Beef Brothers: The story behind Jeff Ruland and Rick Mahorn's unbreakable bond {{!}} Washington Wizards |url=https://www.nba.com/wizards/news/beef-brothers-the-story-behind-jeff-ruland-and-rick-mahorns-unbreakable-bond |website=www.nba.com |publisher=N.B.A. |language=en}}</ref>

Mahorn's career is perhaps best known for the period after he was traded by the Bullets to the [[Detroit Pistons]]. He was unhappy with the trade initially and, as he claimed in a 2014 ESPN documentary, showed up to training camp overweight and out of shape. After teammate [[Bill Laimbeer]] took him aside and spoke with him about what he was brought there for, Mahorn acquiesced and became an integral part of the Pistons’ core. In 1989, Mahorn - dubbed by Piston announcer [[George Blaha]] the "Baddest Bad Boy of them all" - won his only [[1989 NBA Finals|NBA championship]] with the Pistons.<ref>[https://big3.com/players/rick-mahorn/ Rick Mahorn bio- BIG3.com]</ref>

Two days after the Pistons won the championship in 1989, the NBA held an [[1989 NBA Expansion Draft|expansion draft]] for its two newest franchises, the [[Orlando Magic]] and [[Minnesota Timberwolves]]. League rules dictated that only eight players on each roster could be protected from being drafted by either team, and the Pistons elected not to extend that protection to Mahorn. As such, he was made the second pick in the expansion draft and the first to be taken by the Timberwolves; the Pistons were conducting their victory celebration in Detroit while the draft was happening and Mahorn was taken aside during the festivities, so he could be told. Pistons [[general manager]] [[Jack McCloskey]] tried to reacquire Mahorn to no avail, and years later Mahorn was shown to still be bothered by what transpired as the story of the expansion draft brought him to tears during the 2014 ESPN film about the team.

Mahorn, as it turned out, would never play for Minnesota. After refusing to report to the Timberwolves, he ended up being traded instead to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]], where he teamed with superstar [[Charles Barkley]] (despite previous rivalries with him) to form the top-rebounding duo of "Thump N' Bump".<ref>{{cite news |author1=Keith Groller |title=Dawkins, Hawkins pushing all right buttons |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-call-dawkins-hawkins-pushin/125496136/ |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=[[The Morning Call]] |date=6 November 1990 |page=C3 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> After two seasons, Mahorn signed a two-year contract with [[Virtus Roma|Il Messaggero Roma]] of the Italian [[Serie A (basketball)|Serie A]] in 1991.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Mitch Albom |title=Rickey's Roman holiday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-rickeys-roman-holida/125495182/ |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |date=10 March 1992 |pages=1C, 6C |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> Teaming up with [[Dino Radja]], Mahorn helped Roma win the [[1991–92 FIBA Korać Cup|1992 FIBA Korać Cup]]. He started the 1992–1993 season with Roma but was kicked of the team in October after throwing a chair in a heated argument with head coach [[Paolo Di Fonzo]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Corky Meinecke |title=Mahorn sprung before spring? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-mahorn-sprung-before/125495723/ |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |date=13 October 1992 |page=4C |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> In November, he returned to the NBA and signed with the [[New Jersey Nets]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Howard Blatt |title=A bang-up job! Mahorn a Net |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-a-bang-up-job-mahorn-a-net/125496010/ |access-date=29 May 2023 |work=[[New York Daily News]] |date=10 November 1992 |page=70 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> He played with the Nets for four seasons, before returning to the Pistons in 1996–97 under coach [[Doug Collins (basketball)|Doug Collins]]. He retired after the 1999 season, after a second stint with the 76ers.