Detroit Amplifiers Name New Head Coach: Detroit Legend Rick Mahorn
BIG3 Veteran and Inaugural Amps Head Coach George Gervin Announces Retirement
DETROIT, Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Detroit Amplifiers and the BIG3 announced that Rick Mahorn will be named the team's new head coach, following the retirement of George Gervin.
Mahorn rejoins the BIG3 after seven successful seasons with the league, where he won the first-ever BIG3 Championship in 2017 and was named BIG3 Coach of the Year. He went on to coach the Enemies, Aliens, and served as a TV analyst for the league's broadcasts on CBS. Gervin departs the league after eight successful coaching seasons with the Ghost Ballers and most recently the Detroit Amplifiers ("Amps"). The former BIG3 Coach of the Year, Gervin will continue to be involved with the Detroit Amps as part owner in the team.
"GameAbove and the Amps community want to thank George for a memorable 2025 season. His leadership, professionalism, and commitment were invaluable in helping establish this franchise. As we enter a new chapter, we're excited that George will remain part of the organization and continue contributing to our basketball operations," said Adam Squire, GameAbove Director of Sports Operations.
Squire added, "In our search for a new head coach, we found someone who truly embodies what the Detroit Amps represent: toughness, hard work, and championship mentality. We're proud to welcome Rick Mahorn to the Amps family — a Detroit legend who knows what it takes to win at every level."
Keith J. Stone, Amps Co-Owner and GameAbove Sports Co-Founder and Chairman, said, "George is more than a coach — he's a lifelong friend and one of the great ambassadors of this game. I'm thankful for the time we shared this season and proud of what we built together. And I couldn't be happier to see Rick step in; he's a true Detroit original and the perfect person to carry this team forward."
In 2017, Mahorn became the head coach for Trilogy in the BIG3's first season. Under his leadership, Trilogy finished undefeated with a perfect 10-0 record, winning the BIG3 Championship and earning Mahorn the league's inaugural Coach of the Year award. His playing experience, particularly during his championship season with the Pistons in 1989, influenced his coaching style—instilling a strong work ethic and competitive spirit in every team he has led. Mahorn's commitment to basketball and passion for developing players continue to positively influence the game.
"I'm thrilled to return to the BIG3 and even more honored to take on the role of head coach for the Detroit Amplifiers. Basketball has given me so much throughout my career, and I've always believed in passing that knowledge and passion on to the next generation. To now lead a pro team in Detroit—a city that shaped me and embodies toughness, resilience, and heart—is truly special. I look forward to bringing that Detroit spirit to the Amps and continue building a team our fans can be proud of," said Rick Mahorn, Head Coach of the Detroit Amplifiers.
Mahorn is indeed a champion, winning titles as both a player and coach. In his 18 NBA seasons—including six with the Pistons—he helped lead the team to the playoffs each year and was a physical and emotional leader of the famed "Bad Boys" era. Mahorn played an integral role in Detroit's 1989 NBA Championship alongside future Hall of Famers Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Dennis Rodman, earning respect for his tough defense and rugged playing style.
"We are so fortunate to have these two basketball legends as part of our league," said BIG3 CEO and Co-Founder, Ice Cube. "Both Gervin and Mahorn have made tremendous contributions to the BIG3 over the past nine years, and it has been an honor to watch their passion for the game transform this sport, this league, and now the sports landscape of Detroit. I sincerely thank George for his courage this last year in undertaking the launch of a new sports franchise and have no doubt that without the injuries the Amps suffered, his coaching would have had them contending for the Championship. I wish him nothing but the best in this next chapter and know that there could be no better steward for the Amps going forward than the iconic Rick Mahorn."
Mahorn seeks to bring another championship to Detroit. He served as an assistant coach in the WNBA with the Detroit Shock, where he helped guide the franchise to titles in 2006 and 2008 before taking over as head coach. Mahorn was instrumental in developing future Hall of Famers Swin Cash and Katie Smith, as well as Deanna Nolan, a Finals MVP and member of the WNBA's 20th Anniversary Team. His leadership and defensive strategies helped shape one of the WNBA's most dominant dynasties. His coaching stint prior to the Shock included being a head coach in the CBA for the Rockford Lightning and an assistant coach in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks.
"I'm lucky to call both George Gervin and Rick Mahorn friends and colleagues, and I could not be more proud to watch one pass the torch to the other," said BIG Commissioner Clyde Drexler. "One of the most rewarding aspects of being commissioner is watching the evolution of our staff from players to coaches, from coaches to leadership, and even to on-air talent. Gervin and Mahorn are perhaps the strongest examples of that in this league, and I can't wait to watch what the Iceman does next. Mahorn, on the other hand, I know he won't settle with just one championship and wholeheartedly welcome him back to chase another with the Detroit Amplifiers next season."
This announcement follows the recent conclusion of the BIG3's eighth season in Orlando, FL, where the Miami 305 – in their first-ever season– won the 2025 title in front of a sold-out crowd at UCF's Addition Financial Arena. Last season marked the first BIG3 season to feature externally owned, location-based teams, including new franchises the Detroit Amps, the Miami 305, the LA Riot, and the Houston Rig Hands. The transition to this model further spurred the league's growth, with last season recording historic viewership, leading digital engagement, and increased sponsor activity.
To be the first to hear updates about season 9, visit BIG3.com and @thebig3 on X and Instagram. To learn more about the Detroit Amplifiers, visit DetroitAmplifiers.com.
ABOUT BIG3:
On January 11, 2017, the BIG3 was born. The first-ever professional FIREBALL3 league is the brainchild of producer, actor, and music legend Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz, who shared a vision of a player-centric league focused on entertainment and innovation. The BIG3 is a league with no garbage minutes, where trash talk is allowed, defense is emphasized, fast-paced action, and where every point –whether it's a 4-point or 3-point shot – counts. Any given BIG3 team has hall of famers, icons and trailblazers, and the next best 3-on-3 player.
The league has led the sports industry in diversity and opportunity, becoming the first professional sports league to implement a mental health policy, favor CBD as a pain management alternative to opioids, enlist female coaches of men, and appoint a black Commissioner in Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler, who is also professional sports first former player serving as Commissioner. The inaugural CEO was the legendary, incomparable Raider executive Amy Trask. This January 2024, BIG3 co-founder Ice Cube was honored at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, where he received the inaugural Ice Cube Impact Award, acknowledging individuals making substantial contributions to their community, the first non-player to be recognized. Founders Ice Cube and Jeffrey Kwatinetz are missioned to better society as BIG3 pursues business success while also helping to break down stereotypes, promote diversity in sports, create opportunities for black, brown, and female athletes beyond the court, and support the black, youth, and basketball communities overall.
ABOUT DETROIT AMPLIFIERS:
The Detroit Amplifiers are Detroit's official franchise in the BIG3's new city-based era. Owned by GameAbove Sports, a global investor in thoughtfully chosen sports teams and academies, serving as a strategic partner focused on promoting the future of sports excellence.
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SOURCE Detroit Amplifiers