5. Championship pedigree
As a player, Dwane Casey helped guide the 1977-78 Kentucky Wildcats to the NCAA Championship. He’s also achieved similar success at the NBA level. Casey was the assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks when they won the NBA championship in 2011.
Casey was the genius behind the Mavericks’ defense during their championship run. Dallas finished fourth defensively in the regular season and was the No. 1 defensive team in the postseason.
His most impressive accomplishment during that playoff run was his defensive scheme against LeBron James. The Mavs stifled James during that series. Through six games, LeBron averaged 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. Those are pedestrian numbers for LeBron James, and he explained the impact that series had on his career.
LeBron James on improvement since 2011 Finals: "I wasn't that good of a player... I wasn't a complete basketball player. Dwane Casey drew up a gameplan to take away things I was good at & make me do things I wasn't very good at. He's part of the reason why I am who I am today." pic.twitter.com/lcOSKZoqpw
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 4, 2018
The hiring of Casey gives Detroit championship experience at the head coaching level that they haven’t had in over a decade. The Pistons haven’t had a head coach with championship credentials since Larry Brown led them to the title in 2004.