It’s official: the WNBA is coming back to Detroit, and some major basketball legends are behind the move. On June 30, the league announced it will add three new teams — one each in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia — bringing fresh excitement to women’s pro hoops.
The Detroit franchise has a star-studded ownership group, including NBA Hall of Famers Grant Hill and Chris Webber. They’ll be minority owners alongside big names like Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp and her husband Steve, GM CEO Mary Barra and her husband Tony, Lions quarterback Jared Goff and his wife Christen, Arn and Nancy Tellem, and Pistons owner Tom Gores, who will be the team’s controlling owner.
“This is a huge win for Detroit and the WNBA,” Gores said in a statement. “Today marks the long-hoped-for return of the WNBA to a city with deep basketball roots and a championship tradition. Detroit played a key role in the league’s early growth, and we’re proud to reignite that legacy.”
Detroit’s new WNBA team doesn’t have a name yet, but it’s expected to tip off in 2029. The city previously had the Detroit Shock from 1998 to 2009, who won three WNBA titles before moving to Tulsa. That team now plays as the Dallas Wings.
This announcement comes on the heels of Detroit’s BIG3 team, the Amplifiers, who debuted in June with NBA Hall of Famer George “Iceman” Gervin as coach. Their first home game is July 20 at Little Caesars Arena.
So, Detroit basketball fans: the Motor City’s hoops scene just got even more exciting, and women’s basketball is set to shine once again.
Detroit Scores WNBA Team with Grant Hill and Chris Webber on Board
