Arn Tellem on why he's making the jump from sports agent to NBA front office

The Pistons announced the hiring of Arn Tellem late last week. Missed in the Friday bustle was Arn Tellem's LeBron James-like essay in Sports Illustrated explaining why he was leaving the sports agent world after 34 wildly successful years to join the Detroit Pistons' front office. Tellem's title will be Vice Chairman of Palace & Sports Entertainment.

After representing over 500 clients in both basketball and baseball, Tellem could have simply cruised to the finish line of retirement. Instead, he accepted a challenging role with a franchise that has been among the laughing stock of the NBA for the past six years. It's exciting that people are excited about revitalizing our favorite basketball team-- and the city of Detroit (even if the team doesn't play in Detroit ... yet):

Though I grew up in Philadelphia and have lived in L.A. for most of my adult life, I'm no stranger to Detroit. I got to know the place in the late ‘70s while attending law school at the University of Michigan. I got to know the Pistons when I repped center Ben Wallace. I'll never forget a game at the Palace during which the fans were so loud and boisterous that I thought my heart would explode.

I believe in the future of the franchise. As vice chairman, I'll do whatever I can to support the management team, led by Stan Van Gundy and Dennis Mannion, and help build the team into a contender again. I'm coming aboard at a unique moment for the Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment. Together they will play a pivotal role in Detroit's turnaround.

I'm elated. I'm pumped. And frankly, I'm terrified. But if not now, when?

Read the rest in Tellem's words over at Sports Illustrated.

More in a minute.

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