AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the team has named Michael Curry as head coach, signing him to a multi-year contract. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“We are pleased to name Michael Curry as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons,” said Dumars. “Michael has been a proven leader throughout his NBA career as a player, administrator and assistant coach. Given his strong knowledge of the game and tireless work ethic, we feel he is the right person to lead our team. Michael understands the culture of our franchise and its expectations.”
Curry, 39, has spent 14 years in the NBA as a player, assistant coach and NBA administrator. Six of those 14 years were spent as a member of the Pistons’ organization. He was an assistant coach for the Pistons last year after serving as the NBA Development League’s Vice President of Player Development (2005-06) and NBA Vice President of Basketball Operations (2006-07).
Curry played in the NBA for 11 seasons, including two stints with Detroit (1995-97 and 1999-2003), where he was widely respected for his leadership and knowledge of the game. In all, he compiled career averages of 4.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 667 NBA games with Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit, Milwaukee, Toronto and Indiana and appeared in 36 career playoff games. Following four years at Georgia Southern, he played in Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain, as well as in the United States Basketball League (1992), Global Basketball League and in the Continental Basketball Association (1992-93 and 1995-96).
Curry served as President of the NBA Players Association for four years (2001-03), where he was and integral part of negotiations that structured the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA and the NBA Players Association.
While playing for Detroit during the 2000-01 season, he completed a Master’s degree in sports management from Virginia Commonwealth University which was presented in May 2001.
The Augusta, GA native, who worked on the grounds crew at The Masters golf tournament while in high school, and his wife, Katrina, have four children, Deon (a senior at Michigan State and member of the football team), Ashley (a junior at the University of Georgia), Michael Jr. and Crysten.