Many NBA fans would laugh in your face if you told them the Pistons would be a playoff team following the 2023-24 season. Not only are they on pace reach the playoffs, but they expect to avoid the play-in tournament entirely. Detroit’s new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has turned the franchise around, and NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith believes he alone deserves Coach of the Year.
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The Pistons have been the laughingstock of the NBA for some time now. They were on the wrong side of history, losing an NBA-record 28 games in a row last season. Miraculously, they no longer resemble that team.
Detroit currently holds a 33-26 record, which is more wins than the past two seasons combined (31). Bickerstaff has instilled a culture within the team, and the players have bought into it, as evidenced by the Pistons’ ongoing eight-game win streak and recent blowout over the defending champion Celtics.
Smith appeared on ESPN’s First Take to clarify his pick for Coach of the Year. Although Lakers head coach JJ Redick received love from Smith in the past, it’s not enough to surpass his admiration for Bickerstaff.
“I said JJ Redick for the Los Angeles Lakers is a Coach of the Year candidate,” Smith said. “I did not say he’s the Coach of the Year. J.B. Bickerstaff is the Coach of the Year.”
“J. B. Bickerstaff is the Coach of the Year. I am shell-shocked at what I’ve seen from Detroit.”
—@stephenasmith on the Pistons’ head coach pic.twitter.com/pH9p6r0bd5
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 27, 2025
Bickerstaff’s ability to turn the Pistons around has left Smith “shellshocked.” The Lakers have a better record than the Pistons, but the drastic improvement from Detroit between seasons is enough to give their coach the edge.
Nobody expected the Pistons to be a playoff contender, let alone a top-six team in the East. Matter of fact, Bickerstaff was the one person who did believe in them.
The Pistons and Lakers coaches aren’t the only people in the running for the COTY award. The Cavaliers’ Kenny Atkinson also deserves recognition. He has turned Cleveland into a legitimate championship contender, as they hold the best record in the NBA.
Another name to watch is Rockets head coach Ime Udoka. He has led Houston to a top-four seed from a team that missed the play-in entirely last season.
Many coaches are doing tremendous work with their respective organizations. Bickerstaff’s impact with the Pistons has swayed the Smith’s belief and could turn more heads when it comes time to vote for the Coach of the Year award.
