Windsor Express hope Pistons move to downtown boosts 'basketball awareness'
Coach Bill Jones said players are 'excited' to start the season
The head coach of the Windsor Express said he hopes the Detroit Pistons move to a downtown stadium will boost basketball awareness in Canada, where the focus is heavily on hockey.
Detroit's NBA team announced in November they would relocate from The Palace of Auburn Hills to the Little Caesars Arena, which will also house the NHL's Detroit Red Wings.
Express coach Bill Jones, who was born and raised in Detroit, said he's excited about the move for both personal and professional reasons.
"Canada — and Ontario especially — is a hockey area so, when you bring basketball down there, it doesn't do anything but bring basketball to the forefront," he said during the team's media day Wednesday morning.
The National Basketball League of Canada coach also hinted at a possible match up between Windsor's team and the Piston's farm league team.
The Express begin its season Thursday against the Orangeville A's, followed by three more games in four days.
Jones said the team, which has filled some of their gaps from last year with new players, is ready to start their season.
"Come out to watch us play," he said. "This group is exciting, they're going to play hard and they're going to represent Windsor and Essex County to the fullest.