The Detroit Pistons will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2006 WNBA champion Detroit Shock on Nov. 20, according to the team, with a halftime ceremony planned for the Pistons’ game against the Toronto Raptors at Little Caesars Arena.
The gathering marks a long-awaited moment for the franchise, which won the title by beating the Sacramento Monarchs 80-75 at Joe Louis Arena on Sept. 9, 2006, as detailed by wnba.com. Deanna Nolan, a Flint native, was named Finals MVP after leading Detroit to the crown, according to the same recap, which credits her with helping the Shock claim their second title in four years. The win came after Detroit trailed 2-1 in the series, with Nolan playing all 40 minutes of Game 5 and scoring a game-high 24 points to clinch the series, per a Finals rewind from Swish Appeal. Sacramento had opened the series with a 95-71 win in Game 1 behind 22 points from Kara Lawson and later took Game 3 by a score of 89-69, the outlet notes, before Nolan and the Shock closed it out.
Who's Expected at Little Caesars Arena
Per WXYZ Channel 7, Nolan is set to attend the celebration alongside Swin Cash, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, and Ruth Riley, who was named Finals MVP in 2003. Also expected are Cheryl Ford and Elaine Powell, both described as three-time champions, and Angelina Williams, a member of the 2006 title squad. Head coach Bill Laimbeer and assistant coach Rick Mahorn are also scheduled to be on hand, the station reports.
The celebration will include a special halftime ceremony, and some Shock team members are expected to hold public autograph signings on the Little Caesars Arena concourse, according to the same report. The Pistons are also debuting a varsity jacket and T-shirt for the anniversary, created in collaboration with Todd Patrick on two retail items tied to the occasion.
A Postponement Tied to Loss of a Champion
The Nov. 20 date comes after the Pistons postponed an earlier version of the celebration that had been scheduled for the March 7 game against Brooklyn. The team said in a statement that the postponement followed the death of championship team member Kara Braxton on Feb. 22, according to nba.com, which added that a new date would be announced later in 2026. The team shared the news in a post on X
at the time. Braxton won two championships with the Shock, in 2006 and 2008, as reported by
ClickOnDetroit
.
The Shock won their second franchise title in 2006 and added a third in 2008, cementing a run that still anchors the organization's history. Detroit's bid to revisit that era arrives as the WNBA plans a formal return to the city, with the league's Detroit page stating that play is set to tip off in 2029. Pistons owner Tom Gores has said the plans would bring new energy, investment and infrastructure to the city and the league, according to wnba.com.
