DETROIT-  Calihan Hall and the University of Detroit Mercy served as hosts for the "Leadership Detroit" inititative, a fun and interactive event put on by the Detroit Pistons, the city, NBA and NBA Players Association.  Monday's festivities included talks by both head Titan basketball coaches Ray McCallum and Autumn Rademacher as well as current Pistons and legends that include former Titans Earl Cureton, John Long and Terry Tyler.

The Detroit Pistons, NBA, NBA Players Association and City of Detroit hosted a character education program as a part of the “Leadership Detroit” initiative for 1,000 6th to 8th grade students from Detroit Public Schools. The students participated in an interactive panel with guests including; current Pistons players, NBA and Pistons legends Dikembe Mutombo, Bob Lanier, Earl Cureton, John Long and Terry Tyler. Pistons entertainment acts, dance team Automotion, Flight Crew, Drumline, mascot Hooper and Palace Patrol also performed during the program. The event closed out the 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service, which tipped off on Monday, Oct. 18. During this annual event, NBA teams and players host a variety of hands-on service events in a continued effort to give back to children, families, and the community, and to increase fan awareness about the importance of service.

This initiative launches an incentive program for the entire school year that will reward middle school students for good attendance, grade improvement, better test scores for MEAP testing and overall good attitude and behavior. Individual students and entire schools will win tickets, autographed memorabilia, assembly programs and grants.

This event is part of the “Leadership Detroit” initiative presented by the Pistons, NBA, NBA Players Association and City of Detroit launched in May and will continue throughout the 2010-11 Pistons season.

About NBA Cares
NBA Cares is the league's social responsibility initiative that builds on the NBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world. Through this umbrella program, the NBA, its teams and players have donated more than $145 million to charity, provided more than 1.4 million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 525 places where kids and families can live, learn or play. NBA Cares works with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: KaBOOM!, Rebuilding Together, Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

Photo gallery coming soon.