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Ausar Thompson, J.B. Bickerstaff lead Detroit Pistons award finalists
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- Ausar Thompson, J.B. Bickerstaff lead Detroit Pistons award finalists
The Detroit Pistons are getting some awards recognition.
After a 60-win season and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons have three players (and one coach) nominated for end-of-season awards. They include forward Ausar Thompson, center Jalen Duren, guard Duncan Robinson and coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
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Here's the breakdown.
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Ausar Thompson: Defensive Player of Year
Thompson was named one of three finalists for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year on Sunday, April 19. Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren and San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama were the other two finalists.
Thompson is in his third season in the NBA and has arguably grown into the league's best perimeter defender. He played a career-high 73 games during the regular season, becoming a regular starter for a Pistons team that went from 14 to 60 wins over his three years. Thompson led the NBA with two steals per game and added 0.9 blocks per game.
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If Thompson wins, he would become the third Piston ever to win the award following Dennis Rodman (1989, 1990, 1991) and Ben Wallace (2001, 2003, 2005, 2006).
Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, April 12, 2026 in Indianapolis.
Jalen Duren: Most Improved Player
Additionally, Pistons center Jalen Duren is a finalist for the NBA's Most Improved Player nod, along with Atlanta's Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Portland's Deni Avdija.
Duren, the No. 13 overall pick in 2022, made his first All-Star team in his fourth season in the league, averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. His rise is arguably the biggest reason for the Pistons' rise from a 44-win team in 2024-25 to a 60-win team in 2025-26.
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No Piston has ever won Most Improved Player.
Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) dribbles the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
Duncan Robinson: Teammate of the Year
Pistons forward Duncan Robinson was also named one of 12 finalists for the Teammate of the Year Award . The finalists include New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson, San Antonio guard De'Aaron Fox and Los Angeles Lakers forward Marcus Smart.
No Piston has ever won this award, though former Piston Chauncey Billups won while playing for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2012-13.
J.B Bickerstaff: Coach of the Year
Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff reacts to a play against Orlando Magic during the first half of Game 1 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was named a finalist for Coach of the Year for the second straight season. He finished second to Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson (who replaced Bickerstaff with the Cavs) in 2025.
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Bickerstaff is in his second season coaching the Pistons and led Detroit to a 30-win improvement between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons and another 16-win improvement this season.
Pistons star Cade Cunningham, who got a special exemption from the NBA despite not making the 65-game minimum for awards consideration, was not listed as a finalists for any award (though he can still be considered for an All-NBA team).
The Defensive Player of the Year winner will be announced on Monday, April 20, at 6 p.m. ET on Peacock, while the Most Improved Player winner will be announced on Friday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ausar Thompson Defensive Player of Year leads Pistons award finalists
