The Detroit Pistons will hold two community engagement events on Thursday, July 11 and Friday, July 12 leading up to the organization’s inaugural 3-on-3 tournament Saturday, July 13 at Little Caesars Arena.
The 3-on-3 basketball tournament will begin Saturday with a ceremonial “Dribble Up” as Detroit youth will join local dignitaries and the Pistons entertainment teams to dribble basketballs to Little Caesars Arena. Spectators will be invited to the grandstands to watch as Detroit youth participate in a Pistons Academy Clinic, followed by Pistons main stage live music and entertainment, and a full day of 3-on-3 basketball. Games will be spread across 18 courts on the streets surrounding Little Caesars Arena.
With more than 30 divisions, including a wheelchair and special needs division, the 3-on-3 Tournament is open to men and women, girls and boys ages eight and above, throughout Metro Detroit and the region. Two hundred teams comprised of 800-1,000 players will compete for the 3-on-3 championship title. For select divisions, championship games will be played on the Pistons’ home court inside Little Caesars Arena from 4-6 p.m. Elite division winners will earn the opportunity to tryout with the Detroit Pistons NBA G-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive.
“We’re excited to activate our inaugural Detroit Pistons 3-on-3 Tournament in a way that brings meaningful impact off the court and in the community,” said Pistons Vice Chairman Arn Tellem. “By having our employees and Pistons Legends working side-by-side with residents to beautify and program the new Pistons court at Rouge Park on Thursday, July 11 while also creating a fun environment in Campus Martius on Friday, July 12 for teams registering and playing in a premier 3-on-3 tournament, we hope to build this marquee event into a summer basketball activation that thrives in the city for years to come.”
The Pistons will team up with Rock Ventures for a “Basketball For All” Community Day of Service on Thursday at Rouge Park to clean and beautify the park for neighborhood residents. Beautification activities will include tree planting, brush clearing and clean-up, parking lot striping, painting and picnic table construction utilizing approximately 100 employees.
The club with also host a free Pistons Academy basketball clinic for youngsters in the neighborhood on the newly-renovated Pistons basketball court at the park. The Rouge Park basketball court was one of six community court renovations completed by the Detroit Pistons and the city of Detroit last summer. Since moving back to Detroit, the organization has committed to investing $2.5 million in the renovation and refurbishment of 60 basketball courts over six years.
“From the beginning, Tom Gores stated that he wanted to be impactful in the community,” said Pistons legend Earl Cureton. “He’s working hard to build a championship team on the court, but he wants the Pistons to be a staple in the community.”
“I’m from the inner-city and I want to do everything that I can to help our youth and bring basketball back to the city like when I was growing up in Detroit.”
Campus Martius will play host to the 3-on-3 tournament registration rally on Friday from 12-4 p.m. All registered 3-on-3 tournament participants are encouraged to arrive from 12-2:00 p.m. to pick up their tournament packet and stay for an afternoon full of events. Activations will include a free throw and 3-point shooting contest open to the public, a StockX “Hall of Fake” display, music from live DJ’s and give-a-ways from the Detroit Pistons, including tickets to Opening Night 2019.
The StockX “Hall of Fake” is a curated exhibition of the most deceiving fakes to have crossed the desks of StockX’s top authenticators. The items span four StockX verticals, including sneakers, streetwear, handbags, and watches that were all caught in the authentication process. The exhibition offers up a first-hand look at how much effort goes into making a fake, how hard it is to detect, and what to look out for as a consumer.
“We want the entire City of Detroit to come out and support,” Cureton added. “It’s going to be a great opportunity to see some great basketball and three days of fun and entertainment for everyone involved.”
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