The Detroit Pistons turned things around during the 2024-25 NBA season after years of mediocre.
The main reason behind it was like Cade Cunningham, Orserle Thompson and other young stars were beginning to make a leap.
Perhaps the biggest change the front office made was hiring JB Bickerstaff as the team’s head coach.
In his first season with the team, he led the Detroit Pistons into the playoffs. It’s certainly a commendable feat.
The Pistons improvements with Vickerstaff were no coincidence. Instead, it was the result of years of coaching experience at the age of 46 in the NBA.
He began his journey in the 2004-05 season as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Hornets (known at the time as the Bobcats). Following a three-year stint with the Hornets, Bickerstaff joined the Minnesota Timberwolves as an assistant coach.
He then joined the Houston Rockets coaching staff, earning his first head coaching job during the 2015-16 season after five years of assistant coaching services.
But it wasn’t fruitful as the Rockets struggled under his leadership. Bickerstaff then spent four years with the Memphis Grizzlies. First as an associate, then as a head coach.
But Bickerstaff’s true skills were on display during his nearly five years of tenure as head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. During that time, the Cavs were 170-159, and the rebuilding phase was also completed.
Last season, the Pistons finished the regular season with a 44-38 record. This was an incredible shift from the league’s worst 14-68 record the previous year.
The Pistons also returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Vickerstaff certainly proved his worth in his debut season as the team’s head coach.
But what is the next team? Well, it’s clear that Piston will be a perennial playoff team and bring the NBA championship into town.
Piston is currently experiencing the 21 Championship drought as he last lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2004.