Lifelong Pistons fans ready to go all out for playoffs at Little Caesars Arena
Playoff basketball returns to Little Caesars Arena for just the third time in the venue's history as the Pistons look to bring LCA its first-ever NBA playoff win.
Fans are taking Thursday's game just as seriously as those on the court, hoping to show the country what Detroit Basketball is all about.
We see fashion and hoops share the floor every time we see celebrities in those courtside seats, but in Detroit, it's pretty common to see some incredible homemade fits that are all heart and passion for this team. You won't find those in any store, but what you will find in the team store inside Little Caesars Arena is a piece of the Pistons' playoff appearance, only available for Game 3.
Valerie Kelley-Bonner says her love for the Pistons started with family.
"I've been a season ticket holder for a long time; my dad started that," she said.
It's the reason behind her all-time favorite Pistons player.
"Ben Wallace. My grandma used to call him, 'That's my Alabama boy,' and she loved Ben Wallace, so I started taking a liking to him," Kelley-Bonner said.
Now she's passing along that passion to the next generation in her family.
"I'm raising my nephew; he's 12 years old. Yes, I'm a super fan. I love the Pistons, but it's about that 12-year-old that's looking at these players," she said.
When a team means this much to you, Kelley-Bonner says you can't just show up in any old jersey; you also have to add some personal grit.
"So this is my jacket tonight because I'm bringing the bling, and they're bringing the fire. So, let's go. I am ready," she said.
After getting an assist from Jalen Duren with their last collection, Metro Detroit fashion brand KiwiClo is collaborating with the Pistons once again for a snapback you'll only be able to get during Game 3 at the team store.
"We wanted to kind of pay tribute to the team of the past with the Pistons vintage style on the front. You'll see Motor City. In the underbrim of the hat, each one has "Back to Work" in it. You put this thing on, and it really just gets you fueled up," said KiwiClo founder Merrick Weingarten.
Weingarten says it's almost hard to believe he's helping usher in a new era for this team he's cheered on his entire life.
"Since birth, I've grown up a diehard Pistons fan, and obviously now it's just so exciting to see the team play this well," he said.
