Pistons owner Bill Davidson has been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame:
An owner of the Pistons since 1974 and the WNBA Shock since 1998, Davidson’s Pistons have captured three NBA crowns to go along with two WNBA titles for the Shock. Davidson has served as Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors, and has been an innovative business leader in the sports industry - building the revolutionary Palace of Auburn Hills, playing an integral role in structuring modern NBA salary cap and free agency standards, and even owning the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and capturing a Stanley Cup.
Joining Davidson in the Hall are former Pistons coach Dick Vitale and player Adrian Dantley, as well as obvious shoe-ins like Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing and Pat Riley. (And women’s basketball pioneer and Immaculata University coach Cathy Rush. Can’t forget about Cathy Rush.)
Good for Adrian. I always felt badly for him, not quite getting the ring with Detroit.
Well deserved on AD and Mr. Davidson’s part!
On another note, not being a MI local, how am I going to see the 50th Anniversary Team coverage on My TV 20? I’ll go as far as to bet that we’ll get the crap MSG coverage on League Pass. Walt “Clyde” Frazier is not my idea of a good color man. Any help??
Q Dog
Wasn’t Davidson also the first owner to spring for a private jet for his team, now a regular staple for all teams?
Garrett: Yes, he was. And the Palace was the first to offer luxury suites close to the floor, which was part of the reason it was “revolutionary.” (Also, it was privately financed — too bad that trend didn’t catch on throughout the league.)
That’s pretty cool for Mr. Davidson. Congrats to one of the best owners and best people in sports!
Thanks Matt! Now I know!
And knowing is half the battle. Developing your bench by actually playing them, thus enabling the starters to rest for a change and have fresh legs for the playoffs, is the other half.
Hey, I just saw this. Nice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs3rnTWBNtI
Matt - Help me out here, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m making this up but… Wasn’t there something about AD’s shoe’s prior or during 85/86’s playoff run? I seem to remember some drama about his need for special shoes and them not being available in time for a game or something? A few of us were talking about it here @ work and nobody seems to remember this but me.
I’m starting to doubt myself.