Pistons' exec Tellem 'optimistic' about Detroit's WNBA expansion bid
Detroit — From representing an era defined by teal jerseys, Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill has fond memories of his five-year tenure with the Detroit Pistons. Outside of the dunks and game-winning plays that made him one of the best players in franchise history, scrimmaging against the Detroit Shock during his offseason training in the late 1990s is one of Hill's best memories.
Nearly 30 years later, memories of playing against the Shock have led to Hill and his wife Tamia being among several promising equity investors hoping to bring the WNBA back to Detroit. In January, an investment group led by Pistons owner Tom Gores formally announced an expansion bid for a WNBA franchise.
"I think the momentum and movement in women's sports overall, the time is now," Hill said during the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference on Wednesday afternoon. "The WNBA is on this incredible growth trajectory. For me, to do it in Detroit and to come back to a city where it all started, there is a passion and a sense of pride for all things Detroit, particularly their sports teams."
The idea of bringing the WNBA back to Detroit began nearly 10 years ago when Gores sought out Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem as someone who could help him use the Pistons to make a significant impact on the community.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/other/2025/05/28/pistons-vice-chairman-arn-tellem-hearing-positive-things-on-detroits-wnba-expansion/83899355007/