Maurice Cheeks is new Pistons coach

The Detroit Pistons have officially announced that Maurice Cheeks will be their new head coach. Cheeks spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He previously served as head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers from 2001 to 2005 and the Philadelphia 76ers from 2005 to 2009.

Cheeks’ hiring puts an end to this upcoming season’s hopes to see a European-born coach at the helm of an NBA team. Serbian legend Zeljko Obradovic was supposedly in the running for the post.

Mo will be working with a young and promising front court composed of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Cheeks will have the opportunity to turnaround the franchise’s losing-season streak. He is reported to have received a three-year deal with an option for a fourth year.