Pistons Exec Arn Tellem Praises Owner Tom Gores on Draymond Green’s Podcast

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DETROIT – Detroit Pistons Vice Chairman Arn Tellem recently highlighted Tom Gores’ stewardship of the franchise during a recent episode of the Draymond Green Show, the Michigan native’s YouTube podcast. 

Tellem discussed the Pistons’ move back to downtown Detroit in 2017, Gores’ impact on the Pistons franchise and the WNBA’s return to Detroit.

Tellem said of the downtown decision: “If we were going to be part of Detroit’s rebirth, we had to be in the city, and we had to do that for our fans, future fans and all the young people that were moving back into Detroit,” Tellem said. “To me, it was clear we had to make that commitment and when I talked to Tom about it, he was all for it. 

“I knew (Detroit) was going through a rebirth … but it was really Tom’s vision that convinced me.” 

The Pistons go into the upcoming season as one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams, and Tellem credited Gores’ dedication and commitment through previous tough times for the current state. 

Tellem also noted the impact the Henry Ford-Detroit Pistons Performance Center has had on the community. The Pistons headquarters and practice facility serve as a community hub for charitable, civic and philanthropic events year-round. 

“We have over 300 community events at our practice facility every year,” Tellem said. “This facility is not just for the Pistons; it’s for the community and that was Tom’s vision. And we’re going to try to duplicate that now as we bring the WNBA team and we’re going to build a new campus with the WNBA headquarters, not far from here.” 

Earlier this year, Gores was recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business for his role in attracting a WNBA franchise to Detroit. The franchise is set to begin playing at Little Caesars Arena in 2029.

Listen to the full podcast here.

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