JB Bickerstaff breaks silence on taking over as Pistons head coach

The Detroit Pistons have officially announced the hiring of new head coach JB Bickerstaff. One of Trajan Langdon’s first decisions as president of basketball operations was to fire Monty Williams as head coach. Bickerstaff revealed his feelings about his arrival to the franchise through the Pistons’ public relations department.

“Detroit has a great basketball history and I look forward to the opportunity to join Trajan in building an on-court product that everyone can be proud of,” Bickerstaff said. “As Trajan and Tom have expressed it, it aligns with how I coach and how I look to develop players and get results. We’re going to put a group of players on the court that are going to compete every night and we’re not going to skip any steps to be successful.”

Bickerstaff was surprisingly let go by the Cleveland Cavaliers at the end of last season. He played a major role in Cleveland’s 48-34 record and fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs before being eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the second round.

Why the Pistons Hired JB Bickerstaff

Cleveland hired Bickerstaff as its full-time coach after John Beilein resigned. Bickerstaff left his mark on the franchise by leading the Cavaliers to three straight playoff appearances. He played a big role in the development of young, foundational players like Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, as well as establishing a team defensive identity. Those are two areas Bickerstaff knows well and where the Pistons need a lot of help.

The Cavaliers became a perennial top-10 defense under their former coach. Bickerstaff coached Cleveland’s strengths by using Mobley and Allen as the anchors of their defense.

Pistons owner Tom Gores has expressed his excitement about hiring a new coach, speaking about his strengths and the impact he can bring to the young team.

“I am thrilled to have JB join our franchise and commend our leadership team for conducting a thorough search,” Gores said. “This is a pivotal time and we need a leader who can immediately instill a culture of growth, development and inspiration. After spending time with JB, it is clear that he is a passionate teacher with a competitive spirit who knows what it takes to win in today’s NBA.” “He is also an excellent communicator, which creates great synergy with Trajan and the management team we have assembled. He will be an exceptional partner in helping our players maximize their potential and be consistently competitive.”

Langdon said he has the same confidence in the impact the new coach could have on the team. There is a lot of hope that Bickerstaff’s success in Cleveland can translate to Detroit.

“I am thrilled to welcome JB Bickerstaff as our head coach,” Langdon said. “I am confident he will create an environment for our players that prioritizes development while creating a highly competitive atmosphere. JB is a winner, a great communicator and will put systems in place to help our players reach their potential. I look forward to partnering with him to bring our vision to life.”