WNBA Detroit Shock name questions arise again after expansion approval

The WNBA is officially expanding to Detroit.

But what will the team be named?

That's the question on everyone's mind after the league and its owners formally approved three expansion teams on Thursday, April 9, including one in Detroit that will begin playing in 2029.

The other expansion teams are in Cleveland and Philadelphia, which will join the league in 2028 and 2030 respectively.

Was the WNBA expansion team in Detroit already announced?

Yes.

The news of an expansion team coming to Detroit first came out back in June of 2025, when it was announced a high-profile group of investors led by Pistons owner Tom Gores had secured a team for the Motor City.

The owners of Detroit's new WNBA team paid a $250 million expansion fee, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed to the Free Press at the time.

The plan is for the incoming WNBA team to be supported by a new practice facility and headquarters to be built at the former Uniroyal site on the Detroit riverfront, just west of the Belle Isle bridge. The facility also will be utilized as a youth sports academy and multisport complex including basketball and volleyball courts, football, soccer fields and more.

THE ORIGINAL STORY: WNBA coming back to Detroit: Expansion franchise announced for 2029 season

What is the name of the WNBA expansion team in Detroit?

That's a good question.

We're still in wait-and-see mode for the name of the expansion team, which usuaully goes through a thorough and lengthy process to figure out the name of the franchise.

However, "Detroit Shock" would be seen as the leader in the clubhouse.

The Shock were among the WNBA's initial expansion franchises, first starting play during the 1998 season. They were incredibly successful during their time in Detroit, winning three titles under coach and former Bad Boys star Bill Laimbeer.

In 2010, the team moved to Tulsa but kept the "Shock" name, before moving to Dallas for the 2016 season and changing its name to the "Wings."

A trademark for Detroit Shock, which had expired after the team moved, was registered to the Women's Basketball League on Feb. 4, 2025, according to the Freep's previous reporting. The WNBA has applied for trademarks for several former teams' names, and Ryan Reed, the owner of the Women's Basketball League and a Detroit native that owns the rights to the Shock name, told the Free Press he had been in discussions with the WNBA about possibly relinquishing the naming rights to the league, but nothing is official.

It remains unclear if the Detroit franchise will be able to get the name back.

Omari Sankofa II and JC Reindl contributed to this reporting.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: WNBA Detroit Shock name questions arise again after expansion approval