- 1957
- 1978
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 2004
-
Move to Detroit
Though the Pistons enjoyed a solid local following, Fort Wayne’s small size made it difficult for them to be profitable, especially as other early NBA teams based in smaller cities started folding or relocating to larger markets. After the 1956 – 1957 season, Zollner decided that Fort Wayne was too small to support an NBA team and announced the team ... -
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome (formerly known as the Pontiac Silverdome) is a formerly domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan. The stadium complex, which opened in 1975 and had its first closing in 2006, sits on 127 acres (51 ha). The Silverdome hosted the Detroit Pistons from 1978 till 1988. The Detroit Pistons also set numerous NBA attendance records during ... -
Back to Detroit: Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills (commonly referred to as The Palace) is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Opening in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons, of the NBA. From 1957 to 1978, the Pistons competed in Detroit’s Olympia Stadium and Cobo Arena. In 1978, owner Bill Davidson elected not ... -
NBA Finals Winner 1989
NBA Finals – 1989 The 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988 – 1989 NBA season. The series was a rematch of the previous year’s championship round between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers. -
NBA Finals Winner 1990
NBA Finals – 1990 The 1990 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1989 – 1990 NBA season. The series pitted the Detroit Pistons (the previous year’s champions) against the Portland Trail Blazers. This was the first NBA Finals since 1979 not to involve either the Lakers or the Celtics. The Pistons became just the third franchise in NBA ... -
NBA Finals Winner 2004
NBA Finals – 2004 The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003 – 2004 National Basketball Association season. The Finals were between the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference and the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference; the Lakers held the home-court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, so the first team to ...
History of the Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division. The team plays its home games at The Palace of Auburn Hills and was founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne (Zollner) Pistons in 1941, a member of the National Basketball League (NBL). The Pistons joined the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1948. In 1949, the NBL and BAA merged to become the NBA, and the Pistons became part of the merged league. Since moving to Detroit in 1957, the Pistons have won three NBA championships in 1989, 1990, and 2004.
Established
1941
City
Fort Wayne - Detroit
League History
1949 – Present / National Basketball Association
1948 – 1949 / Basketball Association of America
1941 – 1948 / National Basketball League
Team History
1957 – Present / Detroit Pistons
1948 – 1957 / Fort Wayne Pistons
1941 – 1948 / Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
Nickname
Pistons - Originally the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons from Fort Wayne, Indiana, the teams' nickname comes from team owner Frank Zollners piston manufacturing company. Owners Fred Zollner and his sister Janet’s Zollner Corporation was a foundry, manufacturing pistons, primarily for a car, a truck, and locomotive engines. When the team moved to Detroit in 1957, Zollner dropped his company name from the nickname and retained the nickname "Pistons." The name is very fitting for Motor City.
Championship
NBA Championships 3
2004, 1990, 1989
Arena
2016 – Present / Little Caesars Arena
1988 – 2016 / The Palace of Auburn Hills
1978 – 1988 / Pontiac Silverdome
1961 – 1978 / Cobo Arena
1957 – 1961 / Olympia Stadium
*Fort Wayne*
1952 – 1957 / Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
1941 – 1952 / North Side High School Gym
Owner
2011 – Present / Tom Gores
2009 – 2011 / Karen Davidson
1974 – 2009 / William Davidson
1941 – 1974 / Fred Zollner
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Retired Number
1 / Chauncey Billups
2 / Chuck Daly
3 / Ben Wallace
4 / Joe Dumars
10 / Dennis Rodman
11 / Isiah Thomas
15 / Vinnie Johnson
16 / Bob Lanier
21 / Dave Bing
32 / Richard Hamilton
40 / Bill Laimbeer
– / William Davidson
– / Jack McCloskey
*Blue is this team’s history