Do Detroit Pistons fans really call them 'The Stones?'
Social media has buzzed with debate on whether "The Stones" is a real nickname for the Detroit Pistons.
The latest controversy surrounding the Detroit Pistons doesn't involve basketball, but whether or not local fans have been calling them "Stones. " And it's tearing social media apart. OK, not really – but it's still an interesting discussion.
Many Detroit basketball fans claim they have been hearing the "Stones" nickname for over 20 years. Other longtime fans say they have never heard it before. But if it indeed is a part of Pistons lore, how come so many fans say it's not a real nickname?
First, let's dive into the origin of this recent "controversy. " Evan Fox, a video producer for ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" and Detroit sports fan, has been claiming that Pistons fans "really call them [the Stones]" on various episodes of the show, most recently on a May 7 broadcast that featured NBA star Tyrese Haliburton and former NBA player Quentin Richardson. Does anybody call the Detroit Pistons the STONES 😂😂😂 "We do indeed call them the Stones" ~ @evanfoxy #PMSLive pic.
twitter. com/4ontsEqLig — Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 7, 2026 Notably, neither Haliburton nor Richardson seemed to recognize the nickname. Fox has been fanning the "Stones" flame on his X account throughout the NBA playoffs, and as the Pistons have improved to a 2-0 series lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, more people have started to argue whether "The Stones" is real or fake.