DETROIT — Cade Cunningham has consistently shown the talent to become the face of a franchise. After being selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons entrusted him with leading the team. He has consistently fulfilled that promise throughout his five seasons in Detroit.
However, Cunningham did not get a chance to reach his All-NBA status until the hiring of coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who has led the franchise out of purgatory since his hiring in July 2024. This season, the Pistons have taken an additional step under Bickerstaff, which has led to them being contenders for the Eastern Conference title.
The Pistons’ rise coincided with Cunningham’s ascension to MVP status, a testament to Bickerstaff’s ability to develop guards at the NBA level.
“He (Bickerstaff) has helped me a lot when it comes to how I can manipulate the game and get guys involved,” Cunningham said. “He does a great job of explaining it and translating things to us in terms of how we can understand it. He just has a great feel for the game.”
Cunningham is just one of several guards Bickerstaff has helped develop throughout the course of his career. It’s a list that includes Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr. Although Donovan Mitchell was already an All-Star when he joined Bickerstaff in Cleveland, he did not make his first All-NBA selection (second team in 2023) until he began working with the second-generational coach following his trade from the Utah Jazz.
Bickerstaff’s work with prominent guards, however, began during his five-year tenure as an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets. At the start of his second year, the Rockets landed James Harden in a blockbuster trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder in October 2013. Harden went on to become a future Hall of Famer, a trajectory that began with Bickerstaff.
“We had a great relationship. He was one of the guys that I worked with when he first got there. It was fun to see him take a step from Sixth Man to MVP candidate,” Bickerstaff said. “When he got to Houston, he changed the way that we worked. He was a guy who stayed after practice every single day. He was a relentless worker. We have had a great relationship over the years. It has been fun to see him grow as a player and as a person.”
Bickerstaff served as an assistant under coach Kevin McHale during Harden’s first three years in Houston. During Harden’s fourth season, Bickerstaff took the helm as the Rockets’ interim coach after McHale was fired during the 2015-16 season.
While in Houston, Bickerstaff and Harden spent time together playing one-on-one, whether in practice or on off-days, which gave Harden the chance to learn how to “manipulate the game” at a time when the rule was called differently.
In addition to learning how to draw fouls, Bickerstaff would work with Harden as he continued to master his step-back jumper and his ability to read the game, taking the helm as Houston’s primary floor general.
“I watch him work on things that were significant and impactful to the game,” Bickerstaff said. “He would spend time working on how to draw fouls. We would spend time playing one-on-one, and he would draw those fouls on me. He took the time to work on things that he would translate to the game, and that opened my eyes.”
Cunningham’s ascension over the last two seasons highlights Bickerstaff’s talent for developing guards. Additionally, Jaden Ivey has also joined Bickerstaff’s impressive list.
Before suffering a broken leg last year, Ivey was having the best season of his career in his first year under Bickerstaff. He was averaging 17.6 points per game, shooting 46% overall and 40.9% from 3-point range, along with 4.1 rebounds and four assists. Since his return on Nov. 22 against the Milwaukee Bucks, Bickerstaff’s teachings have allowed Ivey to continue showcasing his promising talents as he works his way back to full health.
“He has been a great coach to me and the whole team,” Ivey said. “He has had great guards in the past. But I think, most importantly, his knowledge of the game is respected.”