(CBS DETROIT) - The Detroit Pistons announced J.B. Bickerstaff as their new head coach on Wednesday.
Bickerstaff replaces former head coach Monty Williams, who was fired after one season with the Pistons. He joins Trajan Langdon, the new president of basketball operations, as Detroit works to reshape its team following a disappointing season.
"I'm pleased to have J.B. joining our franchise and commend our front office team on leading an extensive search. This is a pivotal time, and we need a leader who can immediately instill a culture of growth, development and inspiration," Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. "After spending time with J.B., it's clear he is a passionate teacher with a competitive spirit who knows what it takes to win in today's NBA. He's also a strong communicator, which provides great synergy with Trajan and the front office team we have assembled. He will be an outstanding partner in helping out players maximize their potential and complete consistently."
Bickerstaff worked as the Cleveland Cavaliers' associate head coach for the 2019-2020 season before he was promoted to head coach in February 2020. The Cavaliers fired him in May 2024. Under his leadership, Cleveland reached the playoffs in 2023 and 2024, also advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2018.
Prior to Cleveland, he was associate head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2016-2017 season and then took over as head coach from 2017 to 2019. He also worked for the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves. He started his coaching career in 2004 as an assistant with the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets), making him the youngest assistant coach in the NBA at 24 years old.
"Detroit has a great basketball history and I look forward to the opportunity to join Trajan in building a product on the floor that everyone can be proud of," Bickerstaff said in a statement. "As Trajan and Tom expressed their collective goals, it aligns with how I coach and how I look to develop players and drive results. We're going to put a group of players on the floor that will compete each night and we won't skip steps to be successful."
The Pistons were unsuccessful in the 2023-2024 season. They finished last in the Eastern Conference with a 14-68 record, the worst record in franchise history.
In addition to a new head coach, the team selected G League Ignite forward Ron Holland II and forward Bobi Klintman in the 2024 NBA Draft.
