The Detroit Pistons already have a 2026 NBA All-Star Game [starter in Cade Cunningham](https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2026/01/pistons-cade-cunningham-elected-as-starter-for-2026-all-star-game.html). They’ll also have a representative on the sideline in Los Angeles as Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was named a head coach for the event.
Following the Boston Celtics’ loss to the Chicago Bulls Saturday night, the Pistons (32-11) clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference through Feb. 1, earning Bickerstaff one of three head coaching spots for the All-Star game.
In this year’s new format, All-Stars will be divided into three teams, two made up of U.S. players and one of international players and compete in a round-robin tournament with four 12-minute games.
Bickerstaff will coach one of the three teams alongside the coach of the Western Conference leader and a third coach, both yet to be decided.
While Bickerstaff is serving as head coach in an All-Star game for the first time in his career, it also marks the first time a Pistons coach has had the honor since Flip Saunders in 2006.
Chuck Daly (1990) and Doug Collins (1997) are the only other Pistons coaches to have that honor.
The Pistons went 65-18 in that 2005-06 season and would make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Detroit had four All-Stars that year in Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace.
Four All-Stars from the same team isn’t typical anymore — the only team to do so in the last 10 years is Golden State with Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson — but the Pistons have a strong chance to send center Jalen Duren to his first All-Star game as a reserve.
Cunningham and Duren have been driving forces toward Detroit’s spot atop the Eastern Conference, but it’s impossible to talk about the Pistons’ current success without Bickerstaff.
Detroit brought Bickerstaff in following a franchise-worst 14-68 record under Monty Williams in 2023-24. Bickerstaff didn’t take long to get the Pistons humming after installing his system and defense-first culture, becoming the first team in NBA history to triple their win total from the previous season and earning a spot in the playoffs.
After a first-round exit, Bickerstaff’s squad has only continued to exceed expectations by jumping into the top spot in the East this season on Nov. 7, where they will remain at least until February.
Bickerstaff was [named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for November](https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2025/12/cade-cunningham-jb-bickerstaff-earn-eastern-conference-honors-after-historic-start.html) and has the Pistons five games clear in the conference just past the midway point in the season.
The 2026 All-Star Game will take place Sunday, Feb. 15 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
All-Star starters who have already been selected are Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Boston’s Jaylen Brown, New York’s Jalen Brunson, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey and Cunningham from the East. Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama and Curry were selected from the Western Conference.