The Detroit Pistons are in the NBA playoffs for just the third time under current owner Tom Gores.
Gores, the founder and CEO of private equity firm Platinum Equity, purchased a 51% stake in the Pistons in 2011 (later raised to a 100% stake in 2015). In his 13 years as owner entering the 2024-25 season, the Pistons only made the playoffs twice, getting swept both times as part of the franchise’s NBA-worst 14-game playoff losing streak.
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But the Pistons have seen a lot of changes under Gores’ ownership. The franchise moved from the suburbs in Auburn Hills into Little Caesars Arena for the 2017-18 season, playing in the city of the Detroit full-time for the first time since 1978. Gores also opened The Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center in 2019, establishing a new headquarters and training center for the Pistons in the city.
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They’ve also had a historic resurgence over the past two seasons, going from a franchise-worst 14 wins in 2023-24 to 44 wins and a playoff berth in 2024-25.
The Pistons opened the playoffs Saturday against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York City in Game 1 of their first-round matchup. A win would give the Pistons their first-ever playoff win with Gores as the owner.
Who is the Pistons owner?
Tom Gores, who purchased the Pistons in 2011.
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Gores was born on July 31, 1964, in Nazareth, Israel. His family moved to Genesee Township, Michigan (outside of Flint) when Gores was a child. His father is Greek and mother is Lebanese.
Tom Gores age
Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores applauds after forward Tobias Harris’ speech ahead of tip-off against Milwaukee Bucks during the first half at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Friday, April 11, 2025.
He is 60 years old as of April 2025. He was born July 31, 1964.
Where did Tom Gores go to college?
Gores graduated from Michigan State University in 1986.
Tom Gores net worth
Gores founded the private equity firm Platinum Equity in 1995 and soon turned it into a multi-billion dollar business. He is worth an estimated $9.4 billion, according to Forbes.
When did Tom Gores buy the Pistons?
Gores bought a 51% stake in the Pistons in 2011, with his company Platinum Equity owning the other 49% of the team.
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In 2015, Gores bought the remaining 49% stake from Platinum Equity, making him the sole owner of the Pistons. He is the fourth primary owner in franchise history, after Fred Zollner (1941-74), Bill Davidson (1975-2009), his wife Karen Davidson (2010-11) and Gores.
Pistons record under Tom Gores
The Pistons have a regular-season record of 414-692 (.374) under Gores’ stewardship. Their best seasons came in 2015-16 and 2024-25 (both 44-38), while their worst season came in 2023-24 (14-68) – the worst mark in franchise history.
The Pistons have made the playoffs three times under Gores. They were the No. 8 seed in the 2015-16 season, again the No. 8 seed in the 2018-19 season and the No. 6 seed in the 2024-25 season.
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Entering the 2025 playoffs, Detroit has not won a postseason game since Gores became the owner, and currently has a 14-game playoff losing streak dating to 2008.
Tom Gores controversies
Gores was named in a 2024 lawsuit in St. Clair County in Michigan. Gores’ Platinum Equity owns Securus, a telecommunications system used at jail sites accused of inflating prices for inmate phone calls.
Gores has faced significant criticism from criminal justice reform advocates, with some pushing for him to sell the team. His company bought Securus in 2017, joining a $1.2 billion prison telecom industry that makes its moneyfrom incarcerated people and their families.
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In a 2021 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Gores said Platinum Equity purchased Securus because the firm viewed the company as a “sound investment.” He said in 2021 he doesn’t think private companies should run the prison telecom industry.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons owner Tom Gores net worth, NBA record, background