“We are pleased to add Dave Cowens to our coaching staff,” said Dumars. “His experience as a hall of fame player and head coach in this league will be an asset for our team.”

Cowens, who most recently served as head coach and general manager of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky last season, brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Pistons, including six years as an NBA head coach. He served as a player/coach for the 1978-79 Boston Celtics and rejoined the NBA coaching ranks in 1997 with the Charlotte Hornets. Cowens led Charlotte to their only back-to-back 50-win seasons in his first two seasons and posted a 109-70 (.609) with the Hornets from 1997-1999. He was named head coach of the Golden State Warriors in 2001 and has posted a 161-191 (.457) overall coaching record.

Cowens was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990 and was also named one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players (1996). He played on two Boston Celtics championship teams (1974, 1976) and averaged 17.6 points and 13.6 rebounds in an illustrious 11-year playing career. A seven-time NBA All-Star, Cowens was named Co-NBA Rookie-of-the-Year in 1971, NBA Most Valuable Player in 1973 and MVP of the 1973 NBA All-Star Game.