There’s no time for fun when things go wrong. Think about it—how often were you rewarded as a kid after getting phone calls home or bad report cards? Probably never. Even if you didn’t like it back then, you can now appreciate your parents or guardians for teaching you the value of accountability.
For the Detroit Pistons, accountability is the name of the game after a historically bad season. The organization wasted no time making changes across the front office, coaching staff, and roster to steer the team in a new direction.
One of the first steps? Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff implemented a small but telling rule: No hoodies during warmups. It’s a rule that might make you chuckle—hoodies have become an iconic part of basketball culture, especially after Carmelo Anthony’s “Hoodie Melo” workouts. The NBA even turned it into a merchandising opportunity with team-branded hooded gear.
But there’s more to this rule than just a change in dress code. Why is Bickerstaff making this move, and how could it shape the Pistons’ journey this season? Let’s dive in.
Bickerstaff’s Hoodie Rule: Symbol of Change for Pistons Culture
The Rationale Behind Bickerstaff’s Ban on Hoodies
Bickerstaff’s “old-school” approach can be traced back to his roots. As the son of former NBA head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, J.B. grew up immersed in a basketball culture that valued discipline and attention to detail. Bernie, who coached for over a decade, valued how players presented themselves in practice and on the court. Bickerstaff said the following regarding his new rule.
“Just growing up with my dad, you don’t wear anything on your head during the game. You don’t wear jewelry. You practice how you play.”
This young Pistons team, deeply in tune with today’s trends, may welcome the shift to an old-school mentality. Last season, they lacked the structure and discipline that this mindset embodies, and it showed in their performance on the court. Some argue that today’s players aren’t suited for that level of structure, but others counter that focusing on eliminating weaknesses reduces the pressure of discipline. Simply put, putting in the work makes old-school demands easier to embrace.
Bickerstaff’s Hoodie Ban: A Sign Of Change for the Pistons
After a promising 2-1 start to the 2023-24 season, the Pistons collapsed into a historic 28-game losing streak. They finished with a franchise-worst 68 losses. Everything about last season was chaotic. Fans chanted for owner Tom Gores to sell the team, and Isaiah Stewart’s altercation—ending in disciplinary actions—further tarnished the franchise’s image. Detroit basketball became nothing more than the punchline to a joke.
This perception wasn’t forced on them—it was the result of their missteps. Success requires work, and without it, failure becomes inevitable. Ownership and the returning players understood that if they were serious about reshaping the Pistons’ culture, they had to commit to doing the difficult but essential work to make real change.
Evaluating Bickerstaff’s Hoodie Ban’s Impact on Performance
Four games into the preseason, the Pistons sit at 2-2, showing both promise and inconsistency. They rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Bucks but struggled defensively in losses to the Suns and Warriors.
Under Bickerstaff, the team’s potential is becoming clearer. Jaden Ivey stands out with his speed and aggressiveness, while Cade Cunningham shows All-Star potential after a slow start. Rookie Ron Holland’s defense adds value, and Jalen Duren is growing as a defensive anchor and playmaker. The Pistons are starting to show the discipline needed to compete, hinting that the culture shift is taking hold.
The Final Word
The Pistons are beginning to lay the foundation for a culture shift, but they still need to do more work. Flashes of improvement are encouraging, yet consistency will be key. Embracing Bickerstaff’s discipline and developing their young core could finally put Detroit basketball on the path to change.
