The Detroit Pistons have added another veteran voice—both as a player and an assistant—to their coaching staff. Vitaly Potapenko, who recently served as an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies, will be joining J.B. Bickerstaff’s coaching staff in Detroit, reuniting him with his former superior.
News of the Pistons bringing in Potapenko was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Potapenko served under Bickerstaff for several seasons during their time in Memphis before the Grizzlies parted ways with Bickerstaff in 2019. Prior to his stint in Memphis, Potapenko served as assistant director of player development for the Cleveland Cavaliers and was part of Ty Lue’s staff that delivered the 2016 NBA title to Cleveland.
In addition to his time with the Cavaliers and Grizzlies, Potapenko had previous stints as an assistant with the Indiana Pacers and in the NBA G League with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Indiana), Dakota Wizards (Washington), and Santa Cruz Warriors (Golden State).
Potapenko also has a professional basketball career that spans 16 years between the NBA and international play. He entered the NBA as the 12th overall pick by the Cavaliers in 1996, a star-studded draft that featured Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen and Steve Nash.
Prior to Potapenko’s addition, the Pistons coaching staff saw the arrival of former NBA coach and player Luke Walton, Sidney Lowe and Kevin Burelson. Fred Vinson, a former Pelicans assistant and shooting coach specialist, was the first new hire, joining before the Pistons brought on Bickerstaff.
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