Michigan Basketball: Why Pistons job is perfect for John Beilein

Former Michigan basketball coach John Beilein is taking a job with the Pistons as their director of player development and it’s perfect. 

John Beilein loves the game of basketball and after taking a new position with the Detroit Pistons, he will get to work in the game once again.

Beilein is heading back to the NBA with Detroit. But he’s not going to be the head coach. Instead, he’s going to be the director of player development, which seems like the absolutely perfect role for Beilein at this stage of his career.

And it’s also kind of perfect for Michigan basketball fans.

Selfishly, I don’t want to see Beilein coaching at another college basketball program, especially not in the Big Ten conference. It seemed like that was a possibility this offseason with his name surfacing in connection with multiple jobs and it wouldn’t shock me if it happened again.

Beilein’s tenure in Cleveland was short-lived, but that wasn’t all his fault. He wasn’t a great fit as an NBA head coach and that Cleveland team just wasn’t good and you can’t win in the NBA unless you have talent.

According to the Detroit News and other outlets, Beilein will help oversee the development of what’s expected to be a young roster in this advisor role.

"“Beilein was considered one of the best X-and-O coaches in college basketball, and working with player development for the Pistons, he’ll likely bring much of that expertise with him. His teams were regarded for their excellent 3-point shooting and attention to detail, and with the Pistons in the midst of a major retooling of their roster and building around their young core, adding Beilein as an advisor makes sense.”"

That doesn’t necessarily mean Beilein won’t ever consider coaching on the sidelines again, but maybe working in this fashion with the Pistons will curb that appetite.

It doesn’t seem likely that he will coach in the NBA again, but also, he left the college game, in part, because of his frustrations with recruiting, which has only gotten worse now with the transfer portal.

But the game of basketball is better with Beilein in it and for the Michigan basketball fans who also follow the Pistons, maybe some of Beilein’s magic will rub off and lead to some more wins in the coming years. It certainly can’t hurt.