Coaches Association Official: Bickerstaff Wins Coach of the Year Award, Splitter Among Nominees

On April 18 Beijing time, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced that Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been named the 2026 Michael H. Goldberg National Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year. Previously, Bickerstaff also received the Rudy Tomjanovich Award from the Professional Basketball Writers Association this season. The NBA's official Coach of the Year award will be announced separately during the 2026 playoffs.

The Michael H. Goldberg National Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year Award aims to recognize the dedication, responsibility, and hard work of NBA head coaches. It is awarded annually to a coach who elevates team performance on the court while also making outstanding contributions to the community and public service off the court.

This award honors the spirit and character of Michael H. Goldberg. He served as the long-time executive director of the National Basketball Coaches Association, earning widespread respect and setting a benchmark for loyalty, integrity, love for basketball, advocating for coaches, and tirelessly promoting the coaching profession. The award's unique feature is that it is voted on by the head coaches of all 30 NBA teams.

This season, seven head coaches received votes, highlighting the depth of quality coaching talent in the league. Besides Bickerstaff, the other nominated coaches are (listed alphabetically by last name):

Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder

Mitch Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs

Charles Lee of the Charlotte Hornets

Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics

Quin Snyder of the Atlanta Hawks

Tiago Splitter of the Portland Trail Blazers

“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from my fellow coaches,” said Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

“Throughout my journey, I have been incredibly fortunate, thanks to the support of everyone around me. First, my father, who inspired me and set an example for entering the coaching profession; and my family, who have always provided companionship and care. I also sincerely thank all the coaching mentors and colleagues I have worked with throughout my career.”

“I thank my coaching staff for their daily dedication to team training and games. Team owner Tom Gores, President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon and the management, and the entire Pistons organization have provided comprehensive support for our pursuit of excellence. I greatly appreciate their unwavering commitment to building the Detroit team.

It has been a privilege to coach this outstanding group of young players this season, witnessing their individual growth and team progress has been a tremendous reward. I sincerely thank the players for their hard work, discipline, and full cooperation with my coaching.

This honor belongs to all the behind-the-scenes personnel: the medical and rehabilitation team, the strength and conditioning group, player development coaches, and all support staff. Their daily efforts have built our current achievements.”

“Recently, I was elected by my peers as the next president of the National Basketball Coaches Association, and now receiving this Coach of the Year award makes this honor particularly special. Rick Carlisle has set an exceptional standard for the association over the past two decades. I will shoulder this responsibility and continue to advance the association's development.”

This is Bickerstaff's second season coaching the Pistons, leading the team to an excellent record of first in the East and third in the league.

The Pistons achieved a 60-win season for the first time since the 2005-06 season, twenty years later; they secured 32 wins at home and 28 wins away, setting a franchise record for road victories.

The Pistons' final record this season was 60 wins and 22 losses, a 16-win improvement over last season, ranking as the third-best record in franchise history.

Bickerstaff also set an NBA historical record: in just two seasons, he transformed a team that lost 60 games last season into a 60-win powerhouse, becoming the first head coach in league history to achieve this feat.

Additionally, with 159 wins, he became the third-fastest coach in Pistons history to reach 100 victories.

Bickerstaff swept the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month awards for October-November and served as the head coach for the Eastern Conference (USA All-Star Team) at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, leading his team to victory.

Under his guidance, the Pistons transformed into one of the league's most dominant and impactful teams in interior offense and defense.

The team led the league in points scored in the paint per game (57.9) and blocks per game (6.4), and was the only team with both interior offensive and defensive efficiency ranking in the top five. Multiple key statistics ranked in the top three league-wide:

Blocks per game: 6.4 (League Rank 1)

Steals per game: 10.4 (League Rank 1)

Points in the paint per game: 57.9 (League Rank 1)

Defensive efficiency: 108.9 (League Rank 2)

Net efficiency: 8.4 (League Rank 2)

Free throw attempts per game: 26.1 (League Rank 3)

Plus-minus: 8.2 (League Rank 3)

Offensive rebounds per game: 13.1 (League Rank 3)

David Fogel, Executive Director and General Counsel of the National Basketball Coaches Association, commented:

“J.B. Bickerstaff fully deserves this highest honor bestowed by his peers. This season, he perfectly embodied the essence and steadfastness of the coaching profession. Not only did he lead the Pistons to a historic season, but he was also elected by his peers as the sixth president of the association. Congratulations to Coach Bickerstaff, the Pistons coaching staff, and the entire club on winning this year's Michael H. Goldberg Coach of the Year Award.”

In 1980, just four years after the National Basketball Coaches Association was founded, Goldberg became its first executive director. He witnessed and contributed to the golden era of professional basketball's rapid growth, securing key benefits for NBA coaches, including improved pensions, salaries, and disability protections. Before joining the Coaches Association, Goldberg served as General Counsel for the American Basketball Association.

Previous National Basketball Coaches Association Coaches of the Year:

2025: Kenny Atkinson

2024: Mark Daigneault

2023: Mike Brown

2022: Monty Williams

2021: Monty Williams

2020: Mike Budenholzer, Billy Donovan

2019: Mike Budenholzer

2018: Dwane Casey

2017: Mike D'Antoni, Erik Spoelstra