Bickerstaff
Not his first rodeo
Bickerstaff didn’t take on an interim head coaching job without any experience to back him. During the 2015-16 season, Bickerstaff served as the Houston Rockets’ interim coach after Kevin McHale was fired. The Rockets went 37-34 under Bickerstaff and earned a playoff berth.
What’s the J.B. stand for?
Bickerstaff’s full name is John-Blair. He was born March 10, 1979 in Denver.
Previous stops?
Before Bickerstaff joined David Fizdale’s staff in 2016, he spent time with the Houston Rockets, four years as an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves and time with the Charlotte Bobcats.
Prior to him joining the NBA coaching ranks, Bickerstaff provided color analysis on radio broadcasts for the Timberwolves in 2003-04.
Youngest assistant in the NBA
When Bickerstaff first joined the Charlotte Bobcats staff in 2004-05, he was the youngest assistant coach in the NBA at the age of 25. Bickerstaff was with the team for three seasons and also served as the head coach of Charlotte’s summer league teams in 2005 and 2006.
Like father, like son
Bickerstaff did more than just follow his father Bernie Bickerstaff into the NBA coaching ranks. He followed with the same title. Both Bickerstaffs joined the NBA as the youngest assistant coaches in the league at the time. Bernie was 29 years old when he first started in 1973.
The two also coached together for the three years that Bickerstaff was at Charlotte serving on his father’s staff. Bernie Bickerstaff got his first head coaching job with the 1985-86 Seattle SuperSonics.
Youthful player
Being the youngest in the league is a continuing theme for Bickerstaff. As a freshman at Oregon State, Bickerstaff was the youngest NCAA Division I player at 17 years old.
Collegiate career
After his two years with Oregon State, Bickerstaff played two seasons with Minnesota and averaged 9.4 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Golden Gophers.
Bickerstaff moved into the role of director of operations for Minnesota’s basketball program after his collegiate career was over.
Autumn Allison of USA TODAY NETWORKTennessee originally compiled this profile when Bickerstaff was named interim coach Nov. 27, 2017.