Rick Carlisle, head coach of the Indiana Pacers, will step down as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) at the end of this month. He will be succeeded by J.B. Bickerstaff, the current head coach of the Detroit Pistons. Carlisle made the announcement on Monday night, just before the Pacers faced the Boston Celtics.
“This is my 20th year, and I decided about a year ago that this would be my last year,” Carlisle stated. “My term will end at the end of this month. We’ve held our elections, and the membership has made a tremendous choice to succeed me, which is going to be J.B. Bickerstaff.” As of now, Carlisle is just one win away from achieving the milestone of 1,000 victories in his coaching career.
Carlisle expressed strong confidence in Bickerstaff’s capabilities as his successor. “J.B. is not only a trusted friend of mine, but he’s proven to be a great leader,” he said. Carlisle highlighted Bickerstaff’s ability to navigate challenging situations throughout his career, including interim coaching roles. “The job he did in Cleveland, taking that team from the lottery to winning in the playoffs was phenomenal,” he added. “The job he’s done in Detroit over the last year and a half speaks for itself.”
Bickerstaff, aged 46, began his coaching career as an assistant with the Charlotte Hornets in 2004. He later served as an associate head coach with the Memphis Grizzlies before becoming their interim head coach in November 2017. He was officially appointed as the head coach of the Grizzlies on May 1, 2018. Following a brief tenure in Memphis, he transitioned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in February 2020 after the resignation of John Beilein. Bickerstaff was hired by the Pistons on July 3, 2024.
In congratulating his successor, Carlisle remarked, “This will be a life-changing experience for him. It has been for me.” Bickerstaff comes from a lineage of basketball coaches; his father, Bernie Bickerstaff, 81, was a long-time NBA coach and has also held front office positions. Carlisle expressed his desire for Bernie to receive recognition in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“There are so many ways that he influenced the game,” Carlisle stated. “We’re working behind the scenes to help Bernie be recognized by the Hall of Fame as a contributor.”
As Carlisle prepares to conclude his term, the basketball community looks forward to Bickerstaff’s leadership within the NBCA, anticipating fresh insights and a vision that builds on the foundation established during Carlisle’s presidency.
