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They came into the league just one year apart, both directly from high school as No. 1 picks in the NBA draft, two vastly different, wonderfully-talented players expected to turn very bad teams into very good ones.

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked forward LeBron James in 2003. The Orlando Magic took center Dwight Howard in 2004. Each now is on the cusp of taking his team to the NBA Finals with a chance to win the first championship in franchise history.

TEQUESTA, Fla. -- This looked like a Bad Boys reunion.

The NBA came from around the country Wednesday to celebrate the life and mourn the death of Chuck Daly, but nothing was more impressive than his collection of pallbearers.

It was the nucleus of his two championship teams in Detroit, the ones that transformed him from just another coaching lifer into a Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold Medalist revered by all.

Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Vinnie Johnson, Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer were at his side. The Bad Boy Pistons and their leader one final time.

"I think when you go through the things we did together, there is a bond that never breaks,'' said Laimbeer. "This was a sad time, but a time to celebrate who he was, and what he did, and how loved he was.''