BOSTON (AP) — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle will be stepping down as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association at the end of the month and Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff will replace him.
“I guess now might be a good time to announce, I decided about a year ago that this would be my last year," Carlisle said Monday night before the Pacers played in Boston. "This is my 20th year. My term will end at the end of this month. We’ve held
our elections and the membership has made a tremendous and phenomenal choice to succeed me and that’s going to be J.B. Bickerstaff.”
The 66-year-old Carlisle is one win from the 1,000th of his coaching career. He spoke very highly of his soon-to-be replacement.
“J.B. is not only a trusted friend of mine and many, many coaches, he’s proven to be a great leader,” Carlisle said. ”He’s had to take over difficult situations in his career: interim coaching positions etc., etc.
“The job he did in Cleveland, taking that team from the lottery to winning in the playoffs was phenomenal. The job he’s done in Detroit the last year and a half speaks for itself. He’s a great leader and passionate guy for coaches.”
Bickerstaff, 46, started his coaching career with Charlotte as an assistant in 2004. He was an associate head coach with Memphis until becoming interim head coach on Nov. 27, 2017. He became the Grizzlies’ head coach on May 1, 2018.
In February 2020, he was promoted to Cleveland’s head coach after John Beilein resigned.
Bickerstaff was hired as Pistons coach on July 3, 2024.
“I congratulate J.B.,” Carlisle said. “This will be a life-changing experience for him. It has been for me.”
Bickerstaff’s father, Bernie, 81, was a longtime NBA coach before moving into front office roles. Carlisle said he’d like to see Bernie have his place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“We’re behind the scenes working trying to help Bernie be recognized by the Hall of Fame as a contributor,” Carlisle said. “There are so many ways that he influenced the game.”
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