The Detroit Pistons were well-represented at the 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony
Over the course of his 49-year announcing career with the Detroit Pistons, George Blaha uttered some powerful turns of phrase, but the now-Basketball Hall of Famer delivered another compelling speech during his induction ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 6.
“To tell you the truth, it was nerve-racking because you only get to do this once,” Blaha told The Detroit News. “It was one chance, and I was leading off. I was the first speaker. But I said to myself: ‘I'm so excited and happy to lead off.’ If I had to sit there for half an hour and think about it, I probably wouldn't have been as authentic with it. I was nervous, but it was also kind of a positive-nervous energy. It was a huge crowd, and my family was there. Everybody gave me great support.”
Over the past five decades, Blaha has become a voice synonymous with Pistons Basketball, and he’s been along for everything from the Bad Boys to Detroit’s more recent title-winning team in 2004.
With such longevity, Blaha has developed a unique perspective regarding the Pistons, one that nobody else can truly match or describe in a similar fashion thanks to his distinguished tenure embedded with the club.
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But for the coming 2025-26 campaign, announcing Pistons games will be as exciting as ever. Detroit and its fanbase is hungry for another playoff run with Cade Cunningham running the show, and Blaha is eager to get the ball rolling on what will be his 50th season calling games for the Pistons.
“I'm just looking forward to being able to do the games like I've always done,” Blaha said. “I've always felt like if I couldn't do the job, I didn't want to hang on and insult people with a bad broadcast just because I'm George Blaha. If I get started and feel great about it, it will be a major plus because 50 is 50. No one can take that away from me. It's going to be a great season.”
To make it 50 years in the business, Blaha has relied heavily on doing his homework and knowing the team he’s announcing for. That attention to detail is something the Pistons team could use for the fast-approaching season after a sudden first round playoff exit last year at the hands of the New York Knicks. Along that line, the Pistons have another year of experience in the bank, and Detroit is looking to take the next step forward as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Blaha will be on the mic for another year in Detroit when the Pistons open up the regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 22 against the Chicago Bulls.
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