Detroit Pistons: Was Kevin Ollie dropping hint in cryptic IG post?

The Detroit Pistons’ first order of business this offseason is finding their next head coach, and it appears they may be getting closer to a decision.

After narrowing their search to three finalists, then making an unsuccessful big-money offer to Monty Williams, the Pistons have reportedly gone back to where they started with a second round of interviews with Charles Lee and Kevin Ollie. The other named finalist, Jarron Collins, was not asked back for another interview.

It has been widely reported that Kevin Ollie is Troy Weaver’s guy, so it will be interesting to see if he gets his way or if Tom Gores demands an expansion of the search.

Ollie has no coaching experience at the NBA level, but he did win a title as the head coach at UCONN and has since been working as the head of coaching and basketball development for Overtime Elite .

Even though nothing has been made official, Ollie appears to be dropping hints that he may soon be the next head coach of the Detroit Pistons.

Detroit Pistons: Was Kevin Ollie dropping hint in cryptic IG post?

The NBA has been full of cryptic IG posts lately, the most troubling being Ja Morant’s which caused his team to do a welfare check.

There was nothing disturbing about Ollie’s post, but it was mysterious:

The caption reads:

"“The prize won’t be sent to you! You got to get it in person with your work ethic. As I close this chapter, I want to thank the @ote family for always having my back. We don’t get even. We elevate. #alllove #level5”"

While Ollie didn’t mention the Detroit Pistons specifically, it does seem that he is saying his farewell to Overtime Elite and starting a new “chapter” in his life. Of course, this could just mean he bought a puppy, or is going to take up Crossfit, but a lot of fans are reading between the lines.

The reaction to this was a mixed bag of people complaining about the hire before it’s even announced, while others were ready and willing to give Ollie a chance if he is in fact the final choice.

Fans lean towards familiar names when it comes to head coaches, but it’s important to remember that every legendary head coach once had their first job. Gregg Popovich was once an unproven assistant, Chuck Daly was not the Pistons’ first choice.

We probably won’t know anything for a few more days at least, but if Ollie’s cryptic message is any indication, the decision may have already been made.