Detroit Pistons interview John Beilein for head coaching job

The Detroit Pistons interviewed University of Michigan head coach John Beilein for the same position Thursday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press confirmed the report with the Detroit Pistons.

Beilein has spent 33 years as a basketball head coach, first in high school and then climbing the college ladder until spending the past 11 years at U-M. He’s a terrific tactician and schemes an offense that would transfer extremely well to the style favored in the NBA.

The success he’s seen on the floor at Michigan (three Elite Eight appearances in six years and two Final Four appearances in his tenure) is something to behold. He’s the best basketball coach in the Big 10 and one of the best college basketball coaches in the entire country.

Does that mean he’s right for the Detroit Pistons? That’s less clear. Can his coaching style translate to the NBA? Can he craft an offense that fully utilizes both Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin or would one of them need to go? Is he just using Detroit as leverage in hopes of getting a fatter extension from U-M? Who knows.