JB Bickerstaff Earns All-Star Head Coaching Nod as Pistons’ Remarkable Rise Continues
Detroit basketball is back in the spotlight-and this time, it’s not just about potential. With the Pistons sitting atop the Eastern Conference at 32-11, head coach JB Bickerstaff has officially punched his ticket to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, earning one of the league’s most prestigious midseason honors.
The NBA announced that Bickerstaff will serve as one of the three head coaches in the newly formatted All-Star showcase, set for Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 PM ET on NBC. This year’s event features a revamped U.S. vs. World format, and Bickerstaff will be at the helm of one of the American squads.
For Bickerstaff, this marks the first All-Star coaching selection of his career-and it’s a well-earned milestone. He becomes the first Pistons coach to receive the honor since Flip Saunders in 2006, a testament to how far this franchise has come in such a short time under his leadership.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just a feel-good story. It’s a reflection of real, tangible progress.
J.B. Bickerstaff has been named an All-Star Game coach as the Detroit Pistons currently sit on top of the Eastern Conference, per @TheSteinLine. pic.twitter.com/cTEr0PmxI0
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 25, 2026
The Pistons were in the basement not long ago, but Bickerstaff has turned them into a disciplined, balanced, and dangerous team on both ends of the floor. And while coaching accolades often go hand-in-hand with star power, Detroit’s rise has been more than just one player carrying the load-though Cade Cunningham has certainly taken a leap.
Cunningham, now a first-time All-Star starter, is averaging 25.3 points and a league-best 9.7 assists per game. His evolution from promising young guard to full-fledged floor general has been central to Detroit’s resurgence.
Even when the shots aren’t falling, he’s finding ways to impact the game-just look at the Pistons’ recent 104-103 win over the Boston Celtics. Cunningham had a tough shooting night but still dished out 14 assists and added two blocks, showing the kind of all-around impact that’s become his calling card.
That win over Boston wasn’t just another notch in the win column-it was a statement. A gritty, grind-it-out performance against a perennial contender that helped cement Bickerstaff’s All-Star credentials. Tobias Harris led the scoring with 25 points, but it was the team’s composure and execution in crunch time that stood out.
Out West, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder would typically have their coach on the All-Star sidelines, but Mark Daigneault is ineligible this year after coaching the 2025 game. That opens the door for San Antonio Spurs assistant-turned-interim-head-coach Mitch Johnson, who will represent the Western Conference thanks to the Spurs holding the No. 2 seed.
As the All-Star Game approaches at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome, Bickerstaff’s selection is more than just a midseason honor-it’s a symbol of Detroit’s renewed identity. The Pistons aren’t just winning games; they’re building something sustainable. And with Bickerstaff steering the ship, Detroit fans have every reason to believe that this is just the beginning.