DETROIT — J.B. Bickerstaff received plenty of congratulatory calls after being selected for his first NBA All-Star game. Late Saturday night, the NBA announced Bickerstaff had earned a spot as a head coach in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 5.
Among the celebratory calls, however, it was a phone conversation with his mother, Eugenia Bickerstaff, that put his accomplishment into perspective.
“My mom called me last night and told me the 1979 All-Star game was here in Pontiac, Michigan. She was able to come because they thought I wasn’t going to be born until April,” Bickerstaff said. “That February, my dad (Bernie Bickerstaff) was an assistant coach (Seattle SuperSonics) for the All-Star team, and they were here, and she was pregnant with me 46 years ago. For my family in particular, having a full-circle moment is pretty special for sure.”
Bickerstaff’s selection for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game not only marked a full-circle moment for his family but also for the Detroit Pistons. He will become the first coach to represent the franchise in an All-Star game since Flip Saunders achieved the feat in 2006.
Bickerstaff has the Pistons on the trajectory for their best season in two decades since Detroit’s last All-Star representation. He has guided the Pistons to the Eastern Conference’s top record at 33-11, which also ranks second in the league.
The Pistons have ranked in the top 10 in nearly every statistical category with Bickerstaff at the helm. While averaging 117.4 points per game, Detroit ranks 10th in the league in offense, with a net rating of 116.1. The Pistons’ greatest strength is their defense, with a defensive net rating of 108.6 while holding opponents to 110.1 points per game. Their performance has secured them as the league’s second-best defense, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder.
While Bickerstaff’s recent achievement reflects the Pistons’ success this season, it also highlights the progress the franchise has made since his hiring in July 2024.
Basketball coach
Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff shouts to his team during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
“Well deserved. Coach of the year. I think it’s obvious at this point that he should be,” center Jalen Duren said. “They might as well give it to him now, because he deserves it. I mean, he’s put us in position to be where we are now.
Duren continued, “He’s a part of the culture, the main part of the culture that we’ve built these last two years. And he’s very deserving of everything that comes his way. I mean he’s an amazing coach. He’s an amazing mentor, an amazing leader. I think as we continue to do what we do, the world is just going to continue to see it.”
Bickerstaff will serve as one of three coaches for the league’s new All-Star format. The game will consist of two USA teams and one international squad. Each team will compete in a tournament-style competition that features four 12-minute games. The top two teams will face off in the championship game.
Bickerstaff has no opinion on the league’s efforts to shift from the traditional East-West format in recent years. However, he understands that the NBA is taking necessary steps to enhance the competitive level of the midseason exhibition.
His thoughts are similar to the league’s increased emphasis on the regular season with the addition of the Emirates NBA Cup tournament.
“I believe hockey did it, and it proved to be competitive. I do believe it is worth the effort to try and figure out a way to make the game more competitive than it’s been over the past few years,” Bickerstaff said. “I could remember some of those All-Star games, especially in the fourth quarters when they had the best of the best out there, guys were really going to go get it, and the level of competition was really high.”
The Pistons will have a significant presence at this year’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Bickerstaff will attend alongside his entire coaching staff, headlined by former Los Angeles Lakers forward and coach Luke Walton, who currently serves as his lead assistant.
Cade Cunningham also will accompany Bickerstaff. He will be making the second selection of his career after being voted as an Eastern Conference starter. Cunningham finished first amongst his peers in player voting and hopes to get the chance to play for his coach once players are divided into teams.
“It’s amazing, well-deserved. He is a top-of-the-line coach,” Cunningham said. “He is someone who came straight in, implemented his philosophy and culture, and you see what we have been able to do with it. Super well-deserved. I am happy for him.”