As a dedicated, tough-nosed competitor, DeBusschere starred in both basketball and baseball at the University of Detroit where he averaged 24.8 points a game in basketball. He was one of only ten men to play in both Major League Baseball and the NBA. At age 24, DeBusschere became player-coach of the Detroit Pistons until he was traded to the New York Knicks in 1968. He was a defensive cornerstone of two New York Knicks NBA Championship teams and was named one of 50 Best Players in NBA history.