Detroit Pistons honor Aretha Franklin at season opener

The Detroit Pistons honored the legendary Aretha Franklin on Wednesday night by playing a recording of her singing the national anthem before the team's season opener.

Former Pistons captain Isiah Thomas spoke briefly about Franklin, who died in August in her hometown Detroit.

"The Detroit Pistons family and I were deeply saddened by the recent passing of a true Detroit icon," he said. "The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, was a shining symbol of this great city. She represented us all with dignity, style, grace and beauty. Please join me in a moment of silence."

After the moment of silence, a recording of Franklin's performance at the 2004 NBA Finals played while pictures of her appeared on the scoreboard. A spotlight focused on an unattended microphone.

Franklin died Aug. 16 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 76.

She influenced generations with her music, and her boundless talent, activism and patriotism were on full display in 2009 when she performed "My Country, 'Tis Of Thee" at the inauguration of President Barack Obama.