DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 26: The Detroit Pistons 313 logo is pictured on the court before the game between the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets at Little Caesars Arena on December 26, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) (Nic Antaya, 2023 Nic Antaya)
DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons have announced that Luke Walton, Kevin Burleson, Sidney Lowe, Fred Vinson, Vitaly Potapenko, Josh Estes, and Jerome Allen have been named as assistant coaches to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s coaching staff.
The announcement came on Monday (Sept. 23), and additionally, Jarett Jack and Steve Scalzi were retained as assistant coaches.
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Walton, 44, worked under Bickerstaff as the Cleveland Cavaliers assistant head coach last season.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 13: Assistant coach Luke Walton (L) and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff of the Cleveland Cavaliers yell to players during the second half of Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on May 13, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) (2024 Nick Cammett)
The 44-year-old brings knowledge and experience to the Pistons. He led the Sacramento Kings for three seasons (2019-2021), and before that, he was at the helm for his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, from 2016-2019, improving his team wins totals in each of those seasons while standing on the sideline.
Walton, the son of basketball hall of famer Bill Walton, played 10 seasons in the association as a forward, winning two NBA championships with the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers in the late 2000s.
ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 14: (L-R) Jordan Farmar #5, Trevor Ariza #3, Kobe Bryant #24, Luke Walton #4, Derek Fisher #2, Pau Gasol #16 and Sasha Vujacic #18 of the Los Angeles Lakers pose together after defeating the Orlando Magic in Game Five of the 2009 NBA Finals on June 14, 2009 at Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida. The Lakers won 99-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) (2009 Getty Images)
Burleson is the older brother of former Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson. He said he was proud of him and that the city now has another Burleson in the D.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 06: Head coach Kevin Darnell Burleson of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers looks on during the first half against the Mexico City Captains of the NBA G-League 2022-2023 at Mexico City Arena on November 6, 2022 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Jaime Lopez/Jam Media/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
He spent two seasons with the Rockets G League team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Before that, the former 6′3″ guard played for the Charlotte Bobcats in the National Basketball Association from 2005 to 2006.
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 22: Assistant coach Sidney Lowe of the Detroit Pistons and head coach Dwane Casey of the Detroit Pistons watch from the bench during the second quarter of Game Four of the first round of the 2019 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Little Caesars Arena on April 22, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) (2019 Duane Burleson)
Vinson will join Bickerstaff as an assistant after serving in the same role under team president Trajan Langdon in New Orleans for the previous 14 years.
Like Walton, he spent two seasons in the league with the Atlanta Hawks and the Seattle Supersonics. He also played collegiately at Georgia Tech, where he was a three-year letterman.
Potapenko will join the Pistons staff after spending six seasons as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Before joining the Grizzlies in 2018-19, Potapenko served five seasons (2013-18) as the assistant director of player development for the Lebron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, who went on to win the 2016 NBA Championship.
Allen, who previously worked on Dwane Casey’s staff, rejoins the Pistons for his second stint. He was also a pro personnel scout for the national champion Boston Celtics during the 2023-24 season.
He spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Celtics and served the previous five years as the head coach at the University of Pennsylvania after one year as Penn’s interim head coach.
SALT LAKE CITY UT- NOVEMBER 23: Jerome Allen assistant coach of the Detroit Pistons watches play during the first half of their game against the Utah Jazz November 23, 2022 at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) (2022 Chris Gardner)
Like Burleson and Walton, he was drafted 49th overall in the 1995 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and played in 117 career games with the Timberwolves, the Indiana Pacers, and the Denver Nuggets.
Estes spent the previous four seasons as a coaching analyst and analytics coordinator in Cleveland under Bickerstaff, whose coaching staff he will join on the Pistons as an assistant coach.
Jack was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 22nd pick in the 2005 NBA draft before playing with the Portland Trailblazers, Pacers, Toronto Raptors, Hornets, Golden State Warriors, Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, and New York Knicks.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 13: Summer League head coach Jarrett Jack of the Detroit Pistons speaks to players against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first half of a 2024 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 76ers defeated the Pistons 94-81. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images) (2024 Candice Ward)
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Brandon Carr is a digital content producer for ClickOnDetroit and has been with WDIV Local 4 since November 2021. Brandon is the 2015 Solomon Kinloch Humanitarian award recipient for Community Service.
