Catching Up With Bill Laimbeer, NBA Champ and WNBA Coaching Great

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Catching Up With Bill Laimbeer, NBA Champ and WNBA Coaching Great

Originally posted on The Spun | By Jerry Bonkowski | Last updated Dec 22, 2025 8:05 AM ET

[Editor’s note: This article is from The Spun’s “Then and Now” magazine, featuring interviews with more than 50 sports stars of yesteryear. Order your copy online today, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]

One of the Detroit Pistons’ most famous Bad Boys has gotten soft as a senior citizen. Former center Bill Laimbeer now spends his days relaxing on his farm, playing golf and fishing.

“I’m fully retired and I’m done with basketball,” said Laimbeer, 68. “Nothing could bring me back — not broadcasting, not coaching, not anything. I’m very happy with what I’m doing now, and that’s pretty much doing nothing.”

Laimbeer was one of the main cogs of the Bad Boys legacy in the 1980s and early 1990s, along with Rick Mahorn, Dennis Rodman, Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas. They formed a fearsome unit that took physical play to another level, turning swagger and ruthless defense into an art form.

“The whole Bad Boys thing gave us a sense of identity, a sense of purpose,” Laimbeer said. “It was one of the greatest monikers in sports of all time. It will be remembered for a long time, and we take pride in what we accomplished with our moniker.”

Detroit Pistons center Bill Laimbeer battles New Jersey Nets power forward Derrick Coleman for rebounding position in a 1993 game.Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Laimbeer and his 6-foot-11, nearly 250-pound frame were known for two things: personal fouls (3.42 average) and rebounds (9.75 average), for which he remains the franchise leader.

Thomas broke his hand punching Laimbeer during a heated practice early in the 1993–94 season, prompting Laimbeer to abruptly retire.

After several years as a broadcaster, he transitioned to coaching in the WNBA, taking the Detroit Shock to three championships in six years.

“I got in early on in the women’s game and thought I did a really good job of helping change the game,” said Laimbeer, the two-time WNBA Coach of the Year. “I made it more physical, I sped the game up, our teams won championships, always competed for championships.

“But it was still a growing sport. Now the players are the name. They compete just as hard as the guys.”

Although he aspired to be an NBA coach, the closest he came was a three-year stint as an assistant with the Timberwolves (2009–12) before returning to the WNBA for nine more seasons.

The Pistons’ back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990 remain Laimbeer’s greatest achievement. He still maintains close ties with several of his former teammates.

“We don’t get to see each other as much as we’d like, but there’s still six or seven of us who text each other at least once a week to just check in and see how everyone’s doing.”

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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