The Detroit Pistons have emerged as one of the biggest surprises in the NBA, climbing from the bottom of the Eastern Conference to first place in just two seasons.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff admitted that even he didn’t expect such rapid progress, though he felt confident about the organization’s direction after owner Tom Gores hired Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations in 2024.
Not long after Bickerstaff was dismissed by Cleveland, Langdon brought him to Detroit to lead the team’s rebuild.
“When you were with the group every day, you knew there was a ton of potential there. I couldn’t tell you that I would say that a year and a half later we’d be coaching the All-Star Game and be in first place, but I knew we were going to grow, I knew we were going to continue to get better and we had the pieces,” Bickerstaff told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
“The biggest thing for me also I trust Trajan totally because Trajan is the type of person that understands team and how to construct a roster. I think the small, subtle moves that he made last [season] and then even this [season], that helped elevate this team and I trusted his vision and plan.”
Bickerstaff emphasized that despite the team’s success, his focus remains on steady improvement rather than long-term outcomes like a championship run this season.
He said the coaching staff prioritizes daily progress to keep players grounded and consistent.
“We’re all about the process. We talk about today every single day,” he said.
“That helps control the emotional ups and downs. If you’re looking at big picture views of 10 games and all that, there’s so many different things that can vary. But if you can stay in the moment and focused on that, it helps your team continue to get better because you’re just attacking the problem that’s in front of you.”
JB Bickerstaff says he doesn't talk to the Pistons about championships — he wants to focus on the process, not the result. More: https://t.co/FghTJG8lj8
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 17, 2026
