Where Does J.B. Bickerstaff Shake Out In Cavaliers’ Coaching History?
With 247 games under his belt, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has become the franchise's longest-tenured coach since Byron Scott.
Scott, who was the head coach of the team from 2010-2013, coached 230 games with a 64-166 record. Bickerstaff’s record shakes out at 122-125 after he took over in 2020 — just nine months after being named assistant and associate head coach — when John Beilein (14-40) departed from the team.
It would be remiss not to mention that it doesn’t include the total numbers of Mike Brown version 2.0, from 2013-2014, having coached a full season with a 33-49 record. Brown’s first stint was of course during LeBron James’ initial time here, too.
From 2005-2010, Brown coached 410 games with a 272-138 record, putting his total games at 492 with the franchise. This is just ahead of Mike Fratello (460 games, 248-212 record), and third most in history behind Lenny Wilkens (574 games, 316-258 record) and Cavs' all-time leader Bill Fitch (738 games, 304-434 record).
Bickerstaff is the Cavaliers' 23rd coach in history, and sixth in winning percentage (.494) as he enters the 2023-24 season. Fratello comes in at fifth (.539), Wilkens at fourth (.551), Tyronn Lue (211 games, 128-83 record) at third (.607), Brown at second (.663 first stint, .620 overall), and David Blatt, with an 83-40 record over 113 games, in first (.675).
Out of the 23 head coaches, Lue is the most accomplished, having captured three consecutive Eastern Conference Championships (2016-2018). And, of course, brought home the title in 2016 after surmounting the 3-1 comeback against the 73-9, best-ever regular season record, Golden State Warriors. Brown and Blatt are behind the other two Conference titles in 2007 and 2015, respectively.
But, that’s not to say the works of the other coaches who didn’t bring hardware to the team didn’t impact the franchise, or other NBA teams, with their coaching prowess.
Chuck Daly, Wilkens, and Fitch have graced the Top 10 Coaches in NBA History list at some point, and all three plus George Karl, have also been elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as head coaches.
This is not Bickerstaff's first rodeo as a head coach, and in totality had reached his 200th career win at the end of last season. Prior to joining the Cavaliers, he spent time with the Charlotte Bobcats, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets as an assistant coach — including a brief run as interim head coach with the Rockets. He then went to the Memphis Grizzles as an associate before being named interim head coach, and finally permanent — before being fired in April of 2019.
With Bickerstaff getting ready for the upcoming season, the 44-year-old is looking to propel the Cavaliers past the first round — something the team has not accomplished since reaching the Finals in James’ last year during the 2017-2018 season. He is under a multi-year contract extension, which he signed in December of 2021, through the 2026-2027 season.
