Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and then-Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley embraced with a midcourt hug before Game 7 of last season’s first-round series, a moment that carried more than playoff implications. Both coaches acknowledged the stakes were high for their jobs; “We didn’t make eye contact during the series,” Bickerstaff said, adding that his relationship with Mosley extends beyond the court, and that “His kids call me Uncle.”
The exchange was watched by several peers who belong to an 11-member group chat of Black NBA head coaches and assistants, a network that has been friends for years. “For us, it was fun,” Indiana Pacers associate head coach Lloyd Pierce said. Pierce and Washington Wizards assistant David Vanterpool later showed video of the hug at their annual “wine and conversation” event during summer league, saying it reflected the community they have worked to create.
Members described the chat as more than a place to trade stories about matchups. It has expanded into events and became an outlet to discuss opportunities, disappointments and the wider world in a space intended to remain private. The connections formed through the chat have also translated into professional introductions and working relationships across teams.
The group noted the broader coaching landscape has shifted in recent seasons. There are nine Black head coaches in the NBA this season, three fewer than last year after departures by Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups and Doc Rivers. When Kidd and Boston’s Joe Mazzulla met in the 2024 NBA Finals, it marked the first Finals matchup between two Black coaches since 1975; the group contrasted that with earlier peaks of 15 Black head coaches in 2022-23 and 14 the following season, compared with seven in 2019-20.
Bickerstaff emphasized the value of the network. “It’s the most important thing we have in this business,” he said, noting that connections and community change the outlook and windows of opportunity for people. The Game 7 hug preceded a Pistons comeback from a 3-1 deficit; Mosley was fired 24 hours later and was hired by the New Orleans Pelicans two weeks after his dismissal, events noted by members of the group.
