Beasley Rates Bickerstaff Highly Among Coaches in NBA

DETROIT, Mich. — Malik Beasley, a veteran sharpshooter in the NBA since 2016, recently expressed his admiration for his current head coach, JB Bickerstaff, after signing with the Detroit Pistons this summer. Beasley, who has now played for six teams in his career, claims that this current coaching experience stands out at the top of his list.

“Playing for JB has been special,” Beasley said. “He’s a great coach and really knows how to bring out the best in his players.” Beasley has never before experienced the same level of support from a coach, making this season particularly significant.

In an interview with streamer N3ON, Beasley reflected on his favorite coaches from previous teams. When asked who would rank next after Bickerstaff, he named Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “Favorite coach other than the one I’m playing for right now? Yeah, I would say Michael Malone,” Beasley stated. “He was hard on me, but he was a great coach. You saw what he did—he won the championship. So, shout out to Mike Malone, man. My second favorite coach.”

Beasley played for Malone during the coach’s second season with the Nuggets. Prior to that, Malone had a challenging tenure with the Sacramento Kings, where his first season ended with a 28-54 record. His struggles continued into the next season, as he was dismissed after just 24 games with an 11-13 record. However, Malone found success after joining the Nuggets in 2015.

During his four years with the Nuggets, Beasley saw considerable growth. He was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves midway through his fourth season, just before he experienced his first playoff appearance the previous year. In the 2019-2020 playoff season, Beasley contributed significantly, averaging eight points per game while shooting 40 percent from three-point range over 14 games.

Malone’s coaching tenure in Denver has been marked by success, despite struggling to make the playoffs during his first three seasons. Since then, the Nuggets have advanced past the first round five times in six seasons, battling their way to the Western Conference Finals twice and ultimately claiming the NBA Championship title in 2023.