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List of Detroit Pistons head coaches
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The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Pistons, currently owned by Tom Gores, are in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing their home games at Little Caesars Arena.
The franchise was founded in 1937 by Fred Zollner as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, a semi-professional company basketball team based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They would turn professional in 1941 when they joined the National Basketball League (NBL). In 1948, the team was renamed the Fort Wayne Pistons and joined the Basketball Association of America (BAA), merging with the NBL to form the NBA one year later. After nine seasons in Fort Wayne, Zollner moved the team to Detroit in 1957 to compete financially with other big city teams. In the 1980s, general manager Jack McCloskey drafted Isiah Thomas, acquired Joe Dumars and Dennis Rodman, and hired head coach Chuck Daly. The 1980s team, known as "the Bad Boys" due to their physical playing style, won both the 1989 and 1990 NBA Finals under Daly. The Pistons won their third and most recent title in the 2004 NBA Finals under Larry Brown.
Since joining the NBA, the Pistons have had 37 head coaches. Carl Bennett was the franchise's first head coach, leading the team for six games, all of which were losses. Daly is the franchise's all-time leader in regular-season games coached (738), regular-season games won (467), playoff games coached (113), and playoff games won (71). Flip Saunders is the franchise's all-time leader in regular season win percentage (.715). Daly and Brown are the only members of the franchise to be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame as coaches, with Daly also being selected as one of the top 10 coaches in NBA history. Ray Scott and Rick Carlisle won the NBA Coach of the Year Award for the and , respectively. Dick Vitale was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame to recognize the work he did as a broadcaster after leaving the franchise. Sixteen head coaches have spent their entire NBA coaching careers with the Pistons. Notable players and coaches who spent time with the Pistons include Curly Armstrong, Red Rocha, Dick McGuire, Dave DeBusschere, Donnis Butcher, Terry Dischinger, Earl Lloyd, Ray Scott, and Michael Curry.
The current head coach of the Pistons is J. B. Bickerstaff.
Key
| * |
|---|
| Spent entire NBA head coaching career with the Pistons |
| Elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach |
Coaches
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the . The list does not include NBL seasons.
| # | Name | Term | GC | W | L | Win% | GC | W | L | Win% | Achievements | Reference | Regular season | Playoffs | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne Pistons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | .000 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | (as player-coach) | 54 | 22 | 32 | .407 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | – | 136 | 72 | 64 | .529 | 7 | 3 | 4 | .429 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | – | 207 | 105 | 102 | .507 | 14 | 4 | 10 | .286 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | – | 216 | 114 | 102 | 24 | 10 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Detroit Pistons | border=2}};" | Detroit Pistons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| — | 25 | 9 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | – | 153 | 65 | 88 | .425 | 10 | 4 | 6 | .400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | (as player-coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | 280 | 122 | 158 | .436 | 21 | 8 | 13 | .381 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | – | 91 | 25 | 66 | .433 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | – (as player-coach) | 222 | 79 | 143 | .356 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | – | 112 | 52 | 60 | .464 | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 60 | 22 | 38 | .367 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | – | 174 | 82 | 92 | .471 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | (as player-coach) | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | – | 77 | 22 | 55 | .286 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | – | 281 | 147 | 134 | .523 | 10 | 4 | 6 | .400 | NBA Coach of the Year | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | – | 146 | 72 | 74 | .493 | 12 | 5 | 7 | .417 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | 58 | 29 | 29 | .500 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | – | 94 | 34 | 60 | .362 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 70 | 12 | 58 | .171 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | – | 246 | 97 | 149 | .394 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | – | 738 | 467 | 271 | .633 | 113 | 71 | 42 | .628 | 2 NBA championships (1989, 1990) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | 82 | 40 | 42 | .488 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | – | 164 | 48 | 116 | .293 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | – | 209 | 121 | 88 | .579 | 8 | 2 | 6 | .250 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | – | 145 | 73 | 72 | .503 | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | – | 106 | 46 | 60 | .434 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | – | 164 | 100 | 64 | .610 | 27 | 12 | 15 | .444 | NBA Coach of the Year | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28 | – | 164 | 108 | 56 | .659 | 48 | 31 | 17 | .646 | NBA championship (2004) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29 | – | 246 | 176 | 70 | .715 | 51 | 30 | 21 | .588 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 | 82 | 39 | 43 | .476 | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 31 | – | 164 | 57 | 107 | .348 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 32 | – | 148 | 54 | 94 | .365 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 33 | 50 | 21 | 29 | .420 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 34 | 32 | 8 | 24 | .250 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 35 | – | 328 | 152 | 176 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 36 | – | 384 | 121 | 263 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 37 | 82 | 14 | 68 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 38 | –present | 82 | 44 | 38 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
File:Chuck Daly.jpg|Chuck Daly led the Pistons to two consecutive championships in the 1980s. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994. File:Doug Collins gestures.jpg|Doug Collins was the head coach for the Pistons from to . File:Larry Brown 2014.png|Larry Brown was the Detroit Pistons head coach from to and led the team to the NBA championship in 2004. File:Flip Saunders.jpg|Flip Saunders was the coach for the Pistons from to . File:Lawrence Frank in 2012.jpg|Lawrence Frank was the coach for the Pistons from to . File:Stan Van Gundy pistons (cropped).jpg|Stan Van Gundy was the coach for the Pistons from to . File:Dw.ca.PNG|Dwane Casey was the coach for the Pistons from to .
Notes
- A running total of the number of coaches of the Pistons. Thus, any coach who has two or more separate terms as head coach is only counted once.
- Each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season.
References
;General
;Specific
References
- "2008–09 Detroit Pistons Media Guide: Leadership". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
- "Pistons History: The Palace of Auburn Hills". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
- Cope, Myron. (December 18, 1967). "THE BIG Z AND HIS MISFIRING PISTONS".
- "Pistons: Team History". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
- "Pistons: History". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
- "Carl Bennett Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Chuck Daly Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Flip Saunders Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Larry Brown Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Top 10 Coaches in NBA History". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc..
- "Coach of the Year". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
- "Dick Vitale". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
- "Curly Armstrong Playing Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Red Rocha Playing Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Dick McGuire Playing Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Dave DeBusschere Playing Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Donnie Butcher Playing Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Terry Dischinger Playing Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Earl Lloyd Playing Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Ray Scott Playing Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Michael Curry Playing Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- (July 3, 2024). "DETROIT PISTONS ANNOUNCE J.B. BICKERSTAFF AS HEAD COACH".
- "Curly Armstrong Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Murray Mendenhall Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Paul Birch Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Charles Eckman Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Red Rocha Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Dick McGuire Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Charles Wolf Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Dave DeBusschere Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Donnie Butcher Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Paul Seymour Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Bill Van Breda Kolff Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Terry Dischinger Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Earl Lloyd Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Ray Scott Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Herb Brown Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Bob Kauffman Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Dick Vitale Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Richie Adubato Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Scotty Robertson Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Ron Rothstein Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Don Chaney Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Doug Collin Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Alvin Gentry Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "George Irvine Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Rick Carlisle Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Michael Curry Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "John Kuester Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Lawrence Frank Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Maurice Cheeks Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "John Loyer Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Stan Van Gundy Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Dwane Casey Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- "Monty Williams Coaching Record". Sports Reference LLC.
- (July 3, 2024). "DETROIT PISTONS ANNOUNCE J.B. BICKERSTAFF AS HEAD COACH".
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