Duke Legend Grant Hill Helps Lead WNBA’s Triumphant Return to Detroit
In a bold and history-making move, Duke basketball icon Grant Hill is once again making headlines — this time not for a game-winning dunk or All-Star selection, but for helping bring professional women’s basketball back to the city of Detroit. Hill, a beloved Duke Blue Devil and NBA Hall of Famer, has joined forces with fellow NBA legend Chris Webber and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff as minority owners of the WNBA’s newest franchise, officially set to launch by 2029.
For Hill, this moment is more than a business milestone — it’s a full-circle legacy move that ties his influence as a player to his passion for empowering future generations through sports. Hill starred at Duke from 1990 to 1994, helping the Blue Devils win back-to-back national championships. He has since become one of the program’s most decorated and respected alumni, both on and off the court. Now, he’s adding another chapter to his storied journey — as a team owner dedicated to growing the women’s game.
The new WNBA team will call Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit home, sharing the space with the NBA’s Detroit Pistons. The ownership group — led by Pistons owner Tom Gores — finalized the successful bid after months of negotiations and planning. A new practice facility is also in development, laying the groundwork for long-term investment and stability in the city.
“This is a huge win for Detroit and the WNBA,” said Gores. “Today marks the long-hoped-for return of the WNBA to a city with deep basketball roots and a championship tradition.”
Detroit last hosted a WNBA team in 2009, when the Detroit Shock relocated and eventually became the Dallas Wings. Since then, the Motor City — a city rich in basketball culture — has longed for the return of a professional women’s team. With the game growing rapidly and the league entering a new golden era of viewership, sponsorship, and talent, the timing couldn’t be better.
As Hill and Webber unite in ownership, it’s a symbolic and powerful partnership. Both played for Detroit-based NBA franchises — Hill with the Pistons and Webber with the Pistons later in his career — and both have deep ties to the community. But for Grant Hill, whose legacy was built on teamwork, character, and excellence at Duke University, this move carries deeper meaning.
“Grant Hill has always been a leader — from Duke to the NBA to the boardroom,” said one Duke fan online. “It’s only right that he’s now helping shape the future of women’s basketball too.”
The move has also drawn praise from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who celebrated the impact of the new team on the state and its sports culture.
“As a proud, lifelong Michigander, former mediocre basketball player, and governor of this great state, I’m fired up today,” she said. “This has been a long time coming, and I’m grateful to everyone who worked so hard to get it done… Michigan was already the best sports state in the nation, and now it’s even better for women and girls who always play hard and play to win.”
Hill’s involvement sends a clear message: women’s sports are worth investing in, and the responsibility to uplift them lies not only with fans or players — but also with former athletes who understand the power of representation and equity.
Over the years, Hill has been a strong advocate for growth in the game, working as a broadcaster, NBA executive, and entrepreneur. His move into WNBA ownership further cements his status as a transformative figure in basketball — one who continues to evolve with purpose.
For Duke fans, it’s yet another reason to take pride in the Blue Devil brotherhood. Hill’s commitment to excellence remains just as strong now as it was in the early ’90s when he wore the Duke blue. From NCAA titles to NBA All-Star games, from philanthropy to front-office success, Hill continues to lead by example — and now, he’s using that same leadership to create space for the next generation of women athletes.
As the WNBA continues to grow, so does the influence of Duke’s finest. And with Grant Hill at the forefront, one thing is certain: the future of basketball — women’s basketball — just got a lot brighter.
