Global InformationList of Detroit Pistons head coaches information
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Pistons, currently owned by Tom Gores, are in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing their home games at Little Caesars Arena.[1][2]
The franchise was founded in 1941 by Fred Zollner in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Zollner Pistons, playing in the National Basketball League (NBL).[3] In 1948, the team was re-named the Fort Wayne Pistons and joined the Basketball Association of America (BAA), merging with the NBL to form the NBA one year later.[3] After nine seasons in Fort Wayne, Zollner moved the team to Detroit in 1957 to compete financially with other big city teams.[4] In the 1980s, general manager Jack McCloskey drafted Isiah Thomas, acquired Joe Dumars and Dennis Rodman, and hired head coach Chuck Daly.[4] The 1980s team, known as "the Bad Boys" due to their physical playing style, won both the 1989 and 1990 NBA Finals under Daly.[4] The Pistons won their third and most recent title in the 2004 NBA Finals under Larry Brown.[4]
Since joining the NBA, the Pistons have had 37 head coaches. Carl Bennett was the franchise's first head coach, leading the team for six games, all of which were losses.[5] Daly is the franchise's all-time leader in regular-season games coached (738), regular-season games won (467), playoff games coached (113), and playoff games won (71).[6] Flip Saunders is the franchise's all-time leader in regular season win percentage (.715).[7] Daly and Brown are the only members of the franchise to be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame as coaches,[6][8] with Daly also being selected as one of the top 10 coaches in NBA history.[9] Ray Scott and Rick Carlisle won the NBA Coach of the Year Award for the 1973–74 and 2001–02 season, respectively.[10] Dick Vitale was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame to recognize the work he did as a broadcaster after leaving the franchise.[11] Sixteen head coaches have spent their entire NBA coaching careers with the Pistons. Notable players and coaches who spent time with the Pistons include Curly Armstrong,[12] Red Rocha,[13] Dick McGuire,[14] Dave DeBusschere,[15] Donnis Butcher,[16] Terry Dischinger,[17] Earl Lloyd,[18] Ray Scott,[19] and Michael Curry.[20]
The current head coach of the Pistons is Monty Williams.[21][22]
- ^ "2008–09 Detroit Pistons Media Guide: Leadership" (PDF). NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2008. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Pistons History: The Palace of Auburn Hills". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on January 16, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ a b "Pistons: Team History". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ a b c d "Pistons: History". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on June 23, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Carl Bennett Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ a b "Chuck Daly Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Flip Saunders Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Larry Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Top 10 Coaches in NBA History". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on January 19, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Coach of the Year". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on September 15, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Dick Vitale". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 25, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
- ^ "Curly Armstrong Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 12, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Red Rocha Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Dick McGuire Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Dave DeBusschere Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Donnie Butcher Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Terry Dischinger Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Earl Lloyd Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Ray Scott Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Michael Curry Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "Detroit Pistons Name Monty Williams As Head Coach". NBA.com. June 2, 2023. Archived from the original on June 19, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- ^ Ford, Ryan (June 2, 2023). "It's official: Detroit Pistons name Monty Williams head coach". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.