Top 50 Coaches of All Time
UPDATED FEBRUARY 1, 2025
Who is the greatest professional basketball coach of all-time? More so than the greatest player discussion, that question entirely depends on who you ask and what they value. We here at Hooper’s Almanac set out to determine the answer to that question ourselves and ended up with a list longer than we initially expected.
The point of the lists on this site is more to inform and honor than it is to rank. Of course, we have to contextualize it somehow so we did rank them. Ranking coaches is even trickier than ranking players in our opinion, but we feel good about where each guy fell in the hierarchy. After the top 15 or so there is a large group of coaches who have had great success but lack consistency, or had some consistency but not that one great success. Much like the player list, longevity matters, although we did attempt to not overly reward long term mediocrity. Winning, of course, is a huge element in the thinking behind this list. We did take into account ABA and other pro league records and titles in these rankings, so for those to whom it applies the accomplishments shown will be for all pro leagues. We did not consider any accomplishments made at the college level. Without further ado, here is our list of the greatest coaches in pro basketball history.
1. Phil Jackson
Assistant
New Jersey Nets (1978-1981)
Chicago Bulls (1987-1989)
Head
Albany Patroons (1982-1987)
Piratas de Quebradillas (1984, 1987)
Gallitos de Isabela (1984-1986)
Chicago Bulls (1989-1998)
Los Angeles Lakers (1999-2004, 2005-2011)
NBA Regular season- 1155-485, 70.4%
NBA Playoffs- 229-104, 68.8%
11-time NBA Champion (‘91-’93, ‘96-’98, ‘00-’02, ‘09, ‘10)
1996 NBA Coach of the Year
1984 CBA Champion
1985 CBA Coach of the Year
No man has won more NBA titles as both a player and a coach. The giant from North Dakota won two championships with the New York Knicks in '70 and '73. During his final three years as a player, Jackson joined the coaching staff of the New Jersey Nets. After serving as an assistant for the Nets, coaching in various leagues across the Western Hemisphere, and learning from Tex Winter on the Bulls' bench, Phil Jackson was named head coach of Chicago after the team moved on from Doug Collins in 1989.
Given one of the greatest NBA talents of all time, Michael Jordan, Jackson led the Bulls to six championships, never had a losing season, and won over 650 games as Chicago’s head coach. After Jordan retired from the Bulls for a second time, Jackson took his talents westward. The Los Angeles Lakers went on to win five titles under his leadership, including three straight in '00, '01, and '02.
Throughout his entire coaching tenure, Phil Jackson became a master at managing big egos. Whether it was Jordan, Pippen, Shaq, Kobe, or Rodman, Jackson was the ultimate mediator of strong personalities. There is no greater winner as a coach than the Zen Master. -MS
2. Pat Riley
Assistant
Los Angeles Lakers (1979-1981)
Head
Los Angeles Lakers (1981-1990)
New York Knicks (1990-1995)
Miami Heat (1995-2003, 2005-2008)
NBA Regular season- 1210-694, 63.6%
NBA Playoffs- 171-111, 60.6%
3-time NBA Coach of the Year (‘90, ‘93, ‘97)
5-time NBA Champion (‘82, ‘85, ‘87, ‘88, ‘06)
Pat Riley was the outward personification of cool, but inwardly burned with competitive fire. He got the most out of his modest gifts as a player, winning a title with the ‘72 Lakers, but it is Riley’s time on the sidelines and in the front office where he will mostly be remembered. Riles took over the Lakers in 1981 and helped lead them to four titles in the 80’s and orchestrated (along with his brilliant point guard, Magic Johnson) a beautiful brand of basketball in Showtime. He moved on to the Knicks in 1990 and coached the Knicks to one of their best five year runs in the franchise's history. That Knicks team, which came about as close as a team can to winning a title in ‘94, played a completely different style of ball when compared with the Showtime Lakers. That was what made Riley so special as a coach, his ability to adapt.
When Riley controversially moved to the Miami Heat in ‘95, not many would have assumed that he still would essentially be running the club 30 years later. Riles picked up a title in ‘06 after replacing the man he picked to replace himself, Stan Van Gundy. After the ‘07-’08 season Riley moved to the Miami front office full time, where he still is the godfather. Pat Riley was a truly elite coach who helped change the fortunes of all three teams he was associated with. -AJ
3. Gregg Popovich
Assistant
San Antonio Spurs (1988-1992)
Golden State Warriors (1992-1994)
Head
San Antonio Spurs (1996-present)
NBA Regular season- 1409-846, 62.5%
NBA Playoffs- 170-114, 59.9%
3-time Coach of the Year (‘03, ‘12, ‘14)
5-time NBA Champion (‘99, ‘03, ‘05, ‘07, ‘14)
2021 Olympic Gold Medal
2004 Olympic Bronze Medal
2003 FIBA Americas Championship Gold Medal
For nearly three decades now, Gregg Popovich has been the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Pop took a circuitous route to get to the NBA and actually gave himself the chance to be a head coach when, as the general manager of the Spurs, he fired Bob Hill and put himself in charge in December of 1996. What has followed is a career unlike any other in NBA history. A 22-year playoff streak, five NBA titles and three NBA Coach of the Year awards later, and Pop is without question one of the greatest to ever do it.
The accolades have come thick and fast, but what all of Pop’s players love about him most is how much he cares about them as human beings. Pop has created a culture unique in the NBA and was at the forefront of the international revolution. He even got a well deserved gold medal at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. A true legend of the game that is near the end of his career, Pop is on the Mt. Rushmore of pro basketball coaches no matter what way you look at it. -AJ
4. Red Auerbach
Head
Washington Capitols (1946-1949)
Tri-Cities Blackhawks (1949-1950)
Boston Celtics (1950-1966)
NBA Regular season- 938-431, 66.1%
NBA Playoffs- 99-69, 58.9%
9-time NBA Champion (‘57, ‘59-’66)
1965 NBA Coach of the Year
The first truly iconic coach in the history of pro basketball. Red Auerbach got his start in the professional ranks in Washington, but everyone knows him as the coach of the absolutely dominant Celtics of the 50’s and 60’s. Red coached the squad to their first title in ‘57 and then a frankly inconceivable eight straight titles from ‘59-66’. After the ‘66 season, he stepped down and made his star player, Bill Russell, the player-coach. Red remained with the Celtics until his death in 2006 and picked up a whole handful of rings as an executive with the club. Some in Boston say they can still see his signature cigar smoke in the rafters. -AJ
5. Chuck Daly
Assistant
Philadelphia 76ers (1978-1981)
Head
Cleveland Cavaliers (1981-1982)
Detroit Pistons (1983-1992)
New Jersey Nets (1992-1994)
Orlando Magic (1997-1999)
NBA Regular season- 638-437, 59.3%
NBA Playoffs- 75-51, 59.5%
2-time NBA Champ (‘89, ‘90)
1992 Olympic Gold Medal
You don’t get a nickname like Daddy Rich without leaving your mark in style in your field of work. A stellar haircut, an immaculate wardrobe, and the ability to get a group of players to buy into a system was the reason Chuck Daly got that nickname from guys who played for him. Daly started his NBA coaching career with Philadelphia as an assistant in the late 70’s and quickly got a head coaching job in Cleveland in 1981. Things didn’t go as planned there, but I see that as a “stars aligning” moment because after he got fired, he took a break from coaching for a season and then got hired by Detroit in 1983. He was there for nine seasons and that's where he earned his rightful place as one of the all time greats. The back to back titles in 1989 and 1990, the constant deep playoff runs, and the unforgettable vicious play from his Bad Boy Pistons are cemented in basketball history. As if that all wasn’t enough, he went on to coach the most popular and influential basketball of all time. The Dream Team. Who could get a bunch of egotistical freaks to buy into going to Barcelona and thrashing every team in their way? Chuck. After that glorious summer in 1992 at the Olympics, he coached the New Jersey Nets for two seasons and then took another break before going to Orlando to coach the Magic for a couple of seasons in the late 90’s. There will never be another Daddy Rich in this lifetime or the next. A one of one who always stood out in every room he walked into, whether that room had Isiah Thomas or Michael Jordan in it. -ASJ
6. Larry Brown
Head
Carolina Cougars (1972-1974)
Denver Nuggets (1974-1979)
New Jersey Nets (1981-1983)
San Antonio Spurs (1988-1992)
Los Angeles Clippers (1992-1993)
Indiana Pacers (1993-1997)
Philadelphia 76ers (1997-2003)
Detroit Pistons (2003-2005)
New York Knicks (2005-2006)
Charlotte Bobcats (2008-2010)
ABA/NBA Regular season- 1327-1011, 56.8%
ABA/NBA Playoffs- 120-115, 51.1%
2001 NBA Coach of the Year
2004 NBA Champion
2000 Olympic Gold Medal
2004 Olympic Bronze Medal
2003 FIBA Americas Championship Gold Medal
With a long and varied coaching career that saw the man coach in different leagues and levels, Larry Brown has left an incredible legacy on his profession. He never really stayed anywhere for too long, but he will probably best be remembered by NBA fans for his time coaching Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers, where he led them to the 2001 Finals. After his time in Philly, Brown moved on to Detroit where he led the iconic ‘04 Pistons to an NBA title and then nearly a second in ‘05, where they fell in game 7 to the San Antonio Spurs coached by one of Brown’s best friends, Gregg Popovich.
After Detroit, stops in New York and Charlotte were the last of Brown’s NBA tenure before he turned his attention to the college game. Winning multiple medals at the international level and earning more than 1300 victories at the pro level, Larry Brown certainly left his mark on the game by having one of the most successful and varied coaching careers ever. -AJ
7. Erik Spoelstra
Assistant
TuS Herten (1993-1995)
Miami Heat (1997-2008)
Head
Miami Heat (2008-present)
NBA Regular season- 774-550, 58.5%
NBA Playoffs- 110-79, 58.2%
3-time NBA Champion (‘06, ‘12, ‘13)
2024 Olympic Gold Medal
Miami Heat lifer, Erik Spoelstra has been working in South Beach since the mid 90’s. He was the video coordinator his first couple years and then got promoted to be an assistant coach while keeping his video coordinator title. In 1999, he was promoted again to assistant coach/advance scout and in 2001 another promotion to assistant coach/director of scouting. After years of doing that and even being a part of a title winning team in 2006, he was finally promoted to head coach in 2008. Since then he has become one of the hardest working coaches the league has ever seen and led the team to six NBA Finals appearances, including two NBA titles in 2012 and 2013. A ton of credit for the Heat Culture that everyone knows about today is due to Spo for his tenacious work ethic and willingness to adapt according to who has been on the roster. The abundance of players who he finds roles for is astonishing while he’s also proven to be able to handle the egos of superstars to achieve the ultimate goal. And here’s the thing, Spo is 54 years old, so there’s only room to continue the legacy he’s already built in Miami. My favorite thing about him is that even when his teams don’t have the best regular season as far as overall record goes, teams and fans of those teams still don’t want to see him and his hard nosed squads in the playoffs. -ASJ
8. Red Holzman
Head
Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (1953-1957)
Leones de Ponce (1963-1967)
New York Knicks (1967-1977, 1978-1982)
NBA Regular season- 696-603, 53.6%
NBA Playoffs- 58-47, 55.2%
1970 NBA Coach of the Year
2-time NBA Champion (‘70, ‘73)
Hit the open man. That was the motto of the 70’s New York Knicks under Red Holzman. Holzman had coached the Hawks franchise in the 1950s, acting as player-coach in ‘54 before retiring as a player. He also had a stint in the Puerto Rican league with Leones de Ponce before finding his true calling as the head coach of the New York Knicks. The Knicks leader was an NYC man through and through, having grown up in Brooklyn and attended The City College of New York. For 15 years, with a one year break in ‘77-’78, Holzman helped lead the Knicks to their greatest ever run in the early 70’s, where they made the Finals three times and won it all in ‘70 and ‘73. Red Holzman will forever be a legend in the Big Apple and goes down as one of the best coaches in NBA history. -AJ
9. Lenny Wilkens
Assistant
USA national team (1992)
Head
Seattle SuperSonics (1969-1972, 1977-1985)
Portland Trail Blazers (1974-1976)
Cleveland Cavaliers (1986-1993)
Atlanta Hawks (1993-2000)
USA national team (1996)
Toronto Raptors (2000-2003)
New York Knicks (2004-2005)
NBA Regular season- 1332-1155, 53.6%
NBA Playoffs- 80-98, 44.9%
1994 NBA Coach of the Year
1979 NBA Champion
2-time Olympic Gold Medal (‘92, ‘96)
During a stellar and often underrated playing career, Lenny Wilkens partly turned his attention to coaching in 1969, when he became the player-coach of the Seattle SuperSonics for three years. In ‘74-’75 he was the Portland Trail Blazers player-coach before retiring as a player in ‘75 and becoming a full-time coach. He moved back to the Sonics as their head man in ‘77 and helped lead them to back-to-back Finals appearances in ‘78 and ‘79, where they faced the Washington Bullets both times, splitting the two series at a title apiece.
In 1986, Wilkens became the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and led them to their best non-LeBron James stretch in the franchise's history. Coaching the likes of Larry Nance and Mark Price, Wilkens had the Cavs in the playoffs nearly every year, including an eastern conference finals appearance in ‘92. He then became the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks in ‘93, winning NBA Coach of the Year in his first season in the A. Wilkens continued to rack up wins in Atlanta for the rest of the 90’s before leading the Raptors for three seasons from ‘00-’03. He finished his career with the New York Knicks, his hometown team. An NBA champion as a player and a coach, a gold medal winner in ‘96 and the third most wins as a coach in NBA history, Lenny Wilkens is a basketball lifer and legend. -AJ
10. Jerry Sloan
Assistant
Chicago Bulls (1977-1978)
Utah Jazz (1985-1988)
USA national team (1996)
Head
Chicago Bulls (1979-1982)
Utah Jazz (1988-2011)
NBA Regular season- 1221-803, 60.3%
NBA Playoffs- 98-104, 48.5%
1996 Olympic Gold Medal
Longevity matters when contextualizing these NBA coaches. With Jerry Sloan, there’s technically only two stops in his thirty plus year career. He went from assistant to head coach in Chicago and then did the exact same thing in Utah. When he got the head coaching job in Utah, he found a permanent home where the city embraced him and the players gave their all, year in year out.
In nearly 23 seasons, the Jazz missed the playoffs just three times on Sloan’s watch. The consistency was on another level and although he never won a title, he helped his teams get the opportunity to do so many times. Titles aren’t the end all be all. If you play to your ceiling over and over and it isn’t enough to get a ring, that’s okay. Sloan was the embodiment of competing and getting the most out of what you have to work with. -ASJ
11. Don Nelson
Assistant
Milwaukee Bucks (1976)
Head
Milwaukee Bucks (1976-1987)
Golden State Warriors (1988-1995, 2006-2010)
USA national team (1994)
New York Knicks (1995-1996)
Dallas Mavericks (1997-2005)
NBA Regular season- 1335-1063, 55.7%
NBA Playoffs- 75-91, 45.2%
3-time NBA Coach of the Year (‘83, ‘85, ‘92)
1994 FIBA World Championship Gold Medal
There are very few characters in the history of the NBA quite like Don Nelson. After a great playing career, mainly with the Boston Celtics, where he won five NBA titles, Nelson embraced coaching after his retirement in 1976. After just 18 games as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks, Nellie became the head coach after Larry Costello was let go. Nelson helped turn the Bucks into perennial contenders for the next 11 years. He helped see the Bucks transition from the western conference to the east in 1980, right as some all-time great teams like Philadelphia, Boston and Detroit were ruling the conference from the right side of the nation. Despite leading the Bucks to the conference finals in ‘83, ‘84 and ‘86, he and Milwaukee parted ways in the summer of 1987.
In 1988, Nelson took the reins of the Golden State Warriors where he led them to the playoffs four times in a six year span, including the Run TMC teams of the early 90’s. After winning a gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship with USA Basketball, Nellie spent 59 games in charge of the New York Knicks in ’95-’96, before taking some time off. In the summer of 1997, Nelson took charge of the Dallas Mavericks, a truly moribund franchise in the 90’s. Nellie turned them into a powerhouse by the turn of the century, and led them to the western conference finals in ‘03. He resigned 64 games into the ‘04-’05 season. The last stop on the Nelson coaching train was back in Golden State, where in ‘07 he led the “We Believe” Warriors to an incredible upset of his former club and 67-win #1 seed, the Dallas Mavericks. He stayed with the Wariors until the end of the ‘09-’10 season, when he broke Lenny Wilkens’ record for most coaching wins in NBA history right at the end of Steph Curry’s rookie season. Nellie will be remembered fondly for the uptempo style his teams played and for the unique character that the great coach was. -AJ
12. Steve Kerr
Assistant
USA national team (2021)
Head
Golden State Warriors (2014-present)
USA national team (2023-present)
NBA Regular season- 543-298, 64.6%
NBA Playoffs- 99-41, 70.7%
2016 NBA Coach of the Year
4-time NBA Champion (‘15, ‘17, ‘18, ‘22)
2-time Olympic Gold Medal (‘21, ‘24)
There are very few NBA contributors like Steve Kerr. He had a long and very successful playing career, winning five titles and playing with some of the true titans of the game. He was one of the best broadcasters in the early to mid 2000’s. He was a successful GM for Phoenix and even went back to broadcasting after his GM stint because he was so damn good at it.
In the late spring of 2014, Kerr was hired by Golden State and has been there ever since. Kerr and the Warriors had one of the best decade long runs the NBA has ever seen right after he arrived. A winning environment was implemented right away and not just a cutthroat one, but one built on playing the right way with ball movement and a defensive cohesion that we very rarely see at such a high level. The four banners will hang forever and that’s what fans will remember most fondly, but fans should always hold onto the fact that those loaded Warriors teams played with a pace and joy that is extremely contagious. The next phase of Kerr’s career is going to be interesting, but what he and the Warriors accomplished is more than enough to be considered one of the greats. -ASJ
13. Jack Ramsay
Head
Philadelphia 76ers (1968-1972)
Buffalo Braves (1972-1976)
Portland Trail Blazers (1976-1986)
Indiana Pacers (1986-1988)
NBA Regular season- 864-783, 52.5%
NBA Playoffs- 44-58, 43.1%
1977 NBA Champion
Despite pretty successful stints in Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Indiana, Dr. Jack Ramsay will be best remembered for his interesting outfits and for his decade in charge of the Portland Trail Blazers. In Ramsay’s first season as Blazers’ coach, the counterculture team from the counterculture city won the NBA title behind the brilliance of Bill Walton. If not for Walton’s injuries, the Blazers under Ramsay might have won even more titles. Nevertheless, Ramsay helped weather the storm of Walton’s uncertainty and departure, leading the Blazers to the playoffs in nine of his ten seasons in command. -AJ
14. Bill Sharman
Head
Los Angeles Jets (1961-1962)
Cleveland Pipers (1962)
San Francisco Warriors (1966-1968)
Los Angeles/Utah Stars (1968-1971)
Los Angeles Lakers (1971-1976)
ABA/NBA Regular season- 466-353, 56.9%
ABA/NBA Playoffs- 57-40, 58.8%
1970 ABA Coach of the Year
1972 NBA Coach of the Year
1962 ABL Champion
1971 ABA Champion
1972 NBA Champion
After a fantastic playing career, mostly with the Boston Celtics, Bill Sharman turned his attention to coaching, mostly in his native Southern California. Sharman won an ABL title with the Los Angeles Jets and an ABA title with the Utah Stars in 1971. Following that stint in Utah, the Los Angeles Lakers hired Sharman to be their head man and he delivered a championship in his first season. The ‘72 Lakers are an all-time great team and their focus and drive that season, including the incredible 33-game winning streak, was due in large part to Sharman. He was the man who invented the morning shootaround on game days that nearly every pro and even college team now partake in. He didn’t coach for a very long time compared to some others on this list, but Bill Sharman was ultra successful in the years that he did coach. -AJ
15. John Kundla
Head
Minneapolis Lakers (1947-1959)
NBL/BAA/NBA Regular season- 423-302, 58.3%
NBL/BAA/NBA Playoffs- 60-35, 63.2%
1948 NBL Champion
1949 BAA Champion
4-time NBA Champion (‘50, ‘52-’54)
For a dozen years, John Kundla was the man in charge of the Minneapolis Lakers. With the help of some excellent players, most notable of those being George Mikan, Kundla made the Lakers into a dynasty, technically winning championships in three different leagues, with five of those titles recognized by the NBA. Of course, the world and game of basketball was different at that time, but this site strives to respect the history of the game and Kundla and his Lakers certainly left their mark on that history. -AJ
16. Rick Adelman
Assistant
Portland Trail Blazers (1983-1989)
Head
Portland Trail Blazers (1989-1984)
Golden State Warriors (1995-1997)
Sacramento Kings (1999-2006)
Houston Rockets (2007-2011)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2011-2014)
NBA Regular season- 1042-749, 58.2%
NBA Playoffs- 79-78, 50.3%
One of my personal favorite coaches of all time is Rick Adelman because he was at the helm for two of the coolest eras in the past 35 years. First was Rip City, the uber competitive Portland Trail Blazers from the early 90’s. Adelman had a squad that ran into a couple of juggernaut teams in Detroit and Chicago in the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. His teams fought valiantly for him in those series and are worth remembering. Adelman also coached quite possibly the most entertaining team of the early 2000’s in Sacramento but they also had to face loaded teams in the west and ultimately never got to the finals, but if you go back and watch those Kings teams play, you have no choice but to respect the grind. Adelman had Webber, Bibby, Stojakovic, and co. playing some beautiful basketball most of the time. They are a big part of that generation being so beloved by fans today. -ASJ
17. Rudy Tomjanovich
Assistant
Houston Rockets (1983-1992)
Head
Houston Rockets (1992-2003)
USA national team (1998-2000)
Los Angeles Lakers (2004-2005)
NBA Regular season- 527-416, 55.9%
NBA Playoffs- 51-39, 56.7%
2-time NBA Champion (‘94, ‘95)
2000 Olympic Gold Medal
1998 FIBA World Championship Bronze Medal
“Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion” was the cry from Rudy Tomjanovich as he celebrated his second straight NBA title with the Houston Rockets in 1995. It has become one of the most iconic quotes in league history and perfectly described Rudy T’s gritty ‘95 Rockets team, a six seed, the lowest seed to ever win it all.
Tomjanovich’s time with the Rockets is what he is best known for, and rightly so, but he did also pick up an Olympic Gold Medal in 2000 as the head coach of USA Basketball. A basketball lifer, Rudy was a hell of a player, but maybe an even better coach. -AJ
18. Alex Hannum
Head
St. Louis Hawks (1956-1958)
Syracuse Nationals (1960-1963)
San Francisco Warriors (1963-1966)
Philadelphia 76ers (1966-1968)
Oakland Oaks (1968-1969)
San Diego Rockets (1969-1971)
Denver Rockets (1971-1974)
ABA/NBA Regular season- 649-564, 53.5%
ABA/NBA Playoffs- 61-46, 57.0%
2-time NBA Champion (‘58, ‘67)
1964 NBA Coach of the Year
1969 ABA Coach of the Year
1969 ABA Champion
In just 18 years as a head coach, Alex Hannum left an indelible mark on the pro game in the States with short stints all over the nation. He began as the coach of the St. Louis Hawks, where he and Bob Pettit led the Hawks to their only title in franchise history in ‘58. Hannum left St. Louis after that title due to disagreements with the Hawks owner. He coached at the AAU level for two seasons before returning to the NBA with the San Francisco Warriors in 1960. His best NBA achievement in the 60’s was leading the loaded ‘67 Philadelphia 76ers to the title, finally ending the Boston Celtics stranglehold on the league. From 1968-1974, Hannum coached in the ABA with the Oakland Oaks, San Diego Rockets and Denver Rockets. Yes, that is two different franchises named the Rockets, the ABA was wild. In his first season as coach, Hannum led the Oaks to the ABA title. -AJ
19. Doc Rivers
Head
Orlando Magic (1999-2003)
Boston Celtics (2004-2013)
Los Angeles Clippers (2013-2020)
Philadelphia 76ers (2020-2023)
Milwaukee Bucks (2024-present)
NBA Regular season- 1140-802, 58.7%
NBA Playoffs- 113-108, 51.1%
2000 NBA Coach of the Year
2008 NBA Champion
2024 NBA Cup Champion
The man whose voice is gone instantly transitioned into coaching a game. A floor general with the Hawks in the '80s and several teams in the '90s, he got his first coaching job as head coach in Orlando. Coaching just three years after his playing career ended, Rivers led the Magic to three playoff appearances in his first four full seasons. However, he was fired at the start of his fifth season in Orlando after the team began 1-10.
The following season, the Celtics took a chance on Rivers to start the '04-'05 campaign. He made the playoffs in his first year as head coach but once again failed to advance past the first round. Rivers and the Celtics wouldn’t return to the playoffs until the '07-'08 season when Boston won its first title with the “Big 3,” ending a championship drought of over 20 years. The Celtics reached the Finals again in '09-'10 but lost to the Lakers in seven games.
Nearly 15 years later—after a trade to the Clippers and two more coaching stops in Philadelphia and Milwaukee—Rivers has yet to return to the conference finals. He has coached talented teams featuring star duos such as Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Joel Embiid and James Harden, and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Despite the relative lack of postseason success after Boston, Rivers has left his mark on the league while coaching some very good teams and racking up over 1100 wins. -MS
20. Bill Fitch
Head
Cleveland Cavaliers (1970-1979)
Boston Celtics (1979-1983)
Houston Rockets (1983-1988)
New Jersey Nets (1989-1992)
Los Angeles Clippers (1994-1998)
NBA Regular season- 944-1106, 46%
NBA Playoffs- 55-54, 50.5%
2-time NBA Coach of the Year (‘76, ‘80)
1981 NBA Champion
Bill Fitch had a distinguished career as an NBA head coach, spanning over two decades and multiple franchises. He began his NBA coaching journey with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1970, becoming the franchise’s first head coach. Despite early struggles, Fitch built the Cavaliers into a playoff team, culminating in a memorable "Miracle of Richfield" run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1976. After leaving Cleveland in 1979, he took over the Boston Celtics, where he made an immediate impact. In his first season, Fitch won NBA Coach of the Year honors and, in 1981, led the Celtics—powered by a young Larry Bird—to an NBA championship, cementing his legacy as a championship-winning coach.
Following his success in Boston, Fitch continued coaching with the Houston Rockets, guiding them to an NBA Finals appearance in 1986 behind the dominant play of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. Fitch would lose to his former team, the Celtics in the ‘86 Finals. He later had stints with the New Jersey Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers, helping both struggling franchises improve their competitiveness. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, recognizing his lasting impact on the game. -MS
21. George Karl
Assistant
San Antonio Spurs (1979-1980)
Head
Montana Golden Nuggets (1980-1983)
Cleveland Cavaliers (1984-1986)
Golden State Warriors (1986-1988)
Albany Patroons (1988-1989, 1990-1991)
Real Madrid (1989-1990, 1991-1992)
Seattle SuperSonics (1992-1998)
Milwaukee Bucks (1999-2003)
USA national team (2002)
Denver Nuggets (2005-2013)
Sacramento Kings (2014-2016)
NBA Regular season- 1175-824, 58.8%
NBA Playoffs- 80-105, 43.2%
2013 NBA Coach of the Year
2-time CBA Coach of the Year (‘81, ‘'83)
1992 FIBA Saporta Cup winner
Hot-headed, stubborn George Karl. No one seemingly loved to argue more with his guys than Karl. Payton in the 90s, Melo in the 2000s, Cousins in his year and a half in Sacramento. The Hall of Fame coach who had his teams always was in the mix. In 27 years of coaching, he only missed the playoffs five times. He had seven teams that ended the season as the one seed in the playoffs. Even with all that regular season success, he only made one Finals appearance with the Sonics in ‘96.
Karl spent some time in the late ‘80s and early ’90s in Spain and TBL. He was the start of the fall of USA basketball in the 2000s losing in ‘02 to Yugoslavia in the quarterfinals. Since leaving coaching, Karl has continued to voice his opinions about the sport on social media and whatever podcast will let him talk about his disgruntled players. -MS
22. Rick Carlisle
Assistant
New Jersey Nets (1989-1994)
Portland Trail Blazers (1994-1997)
Indiana Pacers (1997-2000)
Head
Detroit Pistons (2001-2003)
Indiana Pacers (2003-2007, 2021-present)
Dallas Mavericks (2008-2021)
NBA Regular season- 970-848, 53.4%
NBA Playoffs- 71-79, 47.3%
2002 NBA Coach of the Year
2011 NBA Champion
Jim Carrey’s look alike has been coaching for decades and has had a really interesting trajectory that stands on a consistent belief that his way will eventually work out. Rick Carlisle was an assistant coach for New Jersey, Portland, and Indiana from 1989 to 2000. He got his first head coaching gig in Detroit in 2001 where he led them to back to back 50 win seasons and playoff appearances and even got named Coach of the Year. That didn’t seem to matter too much because he bumped heads with ownership and got fired. One of the most fascinating things about his coaching career is that he landed back in Indiana to be the head coach after his tenure with Detroit. From 2003 to 2007, he coached a really solid Pacers team and we all know that timeline matches up with one of the most intense rivalries in NBA history between the Pacers and Pistons. After four seasons with Indiana, Carlisle took a break for a season before being hired as the Dallas Mavericks head coach in 2008. He was there for thirteen seasons, made the playoffs nine times, and of course led the Mavs to a very important title in 2011. It cemented Dirk Nowitzki as one of the true greats, proved that depth can be just as important as star power when coached correctly, and gave everyone reason to believe that Carlisle is one of the better coaches that modern basketball has seen. Carlisle departed from Dallas in 2021 and immediately went back to Indiana where he is working now with a rag tag squad that plays the Carlisle way. All gas, no breaks. -ASJ
23. Tom Heinsohn
Head
Boston Celtics (1969-1978)
NBA Regular season- 427-263, 61.9%
NBA Playoffs- 47-33, 58.8%
1973 NBA Coach of the Year
2-time NBA Champion (‘74, ‘76)
There is no one more deserving of the title of “Mr. Celtic”. Winning eight titles as a player alongside Bill Russell, two as a coach, and even as a broadcaster during their next four titles. When he took over coaching the Celtics after Russell retired as player-coach, Heinsohn missed the playoffs his first two years as head coach. However during the ‘72-’73 season, Tommy did something historic in Boston leading them to their best regular season record in franchise history to date at 68-14.
Heinsohn would win his two coaching titles in ‘74 and ‘76 led by the likes of Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, and Jo Jo White. Tommy would end up leaving the Celtics in December of ‘77 after starting poorly to the year. The late Tom Heinsohn would go on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach in 2015 and is still earning “Tommy Points” for hustle plays. -MS
24. Slick Leonard
Head
Chicago Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets (1962-1964)
Indiana Pacers (1968-1980)
ABA/NBA Regular season- 573-534, 51.8%
ABA/NBA Playoffs- 69-47, 59.5%
3-time ABA Champion (‘70, ‘72, ‘73)
The Indiana Pacers were by far the most successful team in the ABA’s short history. That was mostly due to their excellent crop of players, but the man guiding those guys was Bobby “Slick” Leonard. After a brief stint with the Chicago/Baltimore franchise, Leonard was in charge of the Pacers for nearly their entire ABA run and the first four years of their NBA history. Under Leonard, the Pacers made the ABA Finals five times and won it all three times. -AJ
25. K.C. Jones
Assistant
Los Angeles Lakers (1971-1972)
Milwaukee Bucks (1976-1977)
Boston Celtics (1978-1983, 1996-1997)
Seattle SuperSonics (1989-1990)
Detroit Pistons (1994-1995)
Head
San Diego Conquistadors (1972-1973)
Capital/Washington Bullets (1973-1976)
Boston Celtics (1983-1988)
Seattle SuperSonics (1990-1992)
New England Blizzard (1997-1998)
ABA/NBA Regular season- 552-306, 64.3%
ABA/NBA Playoffs- 81-61, 57%
2-time NBA Champion (‘84, ‘86)
K.C. Jones was a part of the great Russell teams that always won. He was an assistant on the Lakers which had the longest winning streak in NBA history. He was the head coach for the ‘86 Celtics who has the record for the most home wins in a regular season (40-1). Along with four straight Finals appearances with Boston in the ‘80s, Jones’s first Finals appearance was in ‘75 with the Bullets.
Jones is known as a winner. In his 11 years as a head coach, his only year with a sub .500 record was in San Diego. He had six seasons with over 55 wins and four over 60 wins. He finished his coaching career coaching a season and a half for the New England Blizzard in the women’s ABL. -MS
26. Larry Costello
Head
Milwaukee Bucks (1968-1976)
Chicago Bulls (1978-1979)
NBA Regular season- 430-300, 58.9%
NBA Playoffs- 37-23, 61.7%
1971 NBA Champion
Larry Costello inherited a Bucks team whose best player was John McGlocklin. Now, Johnny Mac is a great shooter in 2K, but leading a team as the best player wasn’t ideal. This was reflected in Milwaukee’s record during Costello’s first year as head coach.
The next year, they added Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and in 1971, they brought in the Big O. In Costello's third season as the Bucks’ coach, he had the league MVP in Alcindor and led the team to a Finals sweep over the Bullets.
The Bucks returned to the Western Conference Finals in ‘72 but lost to the eventual champion Lakers in a high powered matchup. They made it back to the Finals in ‘74, only to fall to the Celtics in Robertson’s final season. In their first season without Oscar, the Bucks failed to make the playoffs in ‘75, and Kareem decided to move westward. Costello remained head coach until ‘76. He later took over the Bulls for the ‘78-‘79 season but was let go after 56 games due to a poor start. -MS
27. Dick Motta
Head
Chicago Bulls (1968-1976)
Washington Bullets (1976-1980)
Dallas Mavericks (1980-1987, 1994-1996)
Sacramento Kings (1990-1991)
Denver Nuggets (1996-1997)
NBA Regular season- 935-1017, 47.9%
NBA Playoffs- 56-70, 44.4%
1971 NBA Coach of the Year
1978 NBA Champion
Shortly after the Chicago Bulls franchise first started, they gave the head coaching job to Dick Motta and he delivered. Under Motta, the Bulls became perennial playoff powers and even made back-to-back western conference finals in ‘74 and ‘75. In 1976, he moved on to Washington and in just his second season led the Bullets to the NBA title and then the Finals again the following season. Motta spent most of the 80’s in charge of the then-brand new Dallas Mavericks, and also had a later stint with the Mavs after a short stay in Sacramento and a less than one season run in Denver. Motta was one of the league’s best coaches in the 70’s, fully deserving his spot on this list. -AJ
28. Al Attles
Assistant
San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1968-1970, 1994-1995)
Head
San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1970-1983)
NBA Regular season- 557-518, 51.8%
NBA Playoffs- 31-30, 50.8%
1975 NBA Champion
A year after Bill Russell retired as a player-coach in Boston, Al Attles was named player-coach of the San Francisco Warriors halfway through the 1969-1970 season. Attles played one more year before retiring as a player to take on the head coaching job full-time. In his first eight seasons as a coach, Attles' Warriors made the playoffs six times, reached the conference finals three times, and became the second African American coach to win a title in 1975 when they swept the Bullets. Attles remained the Warriors' head coach for 13 seasons and later returned to Golden State as an assistant in the 1994-1995 season. -MS
29. Billy Cunningham
Head
Philadelphia 76ers (1977-1985)
NBA Regular season- 454-196, 69.8%
NBA Playoffs- 66-39, 62.9%
1983 NBA Champion
One of the few people in NBA history to win a title for the same team as both a player and a coach. Billy Cunningham spent his entire NBA career in Philadelphia, playing nine seasons and coaching eight. Taking over during the ‘77-’78 season, Cunningham never finished lower than the two seed as the Sixers coach, leading them to three Finals appearances and one title in ‘83 sweeping the Lakers. Cunningham is the winningest coach in Sixers history with teams led by Dr. J, Moses Malone, and Bobby Jones. -MS
30. Mike D’Antoni
Assistant
Denver Nuggets (1997-1998)
Portland Trail Blazers (2000-2001)
Phoenix Suns (2002-2003)
USA national team (2006-2009, 2012)
Philadelphia 76ers (2015-2016)
Brooklyn Nets (2020-2021)
Head
Olimpia Milano (1990-1994)
Benetton Basket (1994-1997)
Denver Nuggets (1999)
Phoenix Suns (2003-2008)
New York Knicks (2008-2012)
Los Angeles Lakers (2012-2014)
Houston Rockets (2016-2020)
NBA Regular season- 672-527, 56%
NBA Playoffs- 54-56, 49.1%
2-time NBA Coach of the Year (‘05, ‘17)
2-time Olympic Gold Medal (‘08, ‘12)
2007 FIBA Americas Championship Gold Medal
2006 FIBA World Championship Bronze Medal
2-time Italian League Champion (‘97, ‘02)
2-time Italian Supercup winner (‘01, ‘02)
1995 Italian Cup winner
1995 Saporta Cup winner
1993 Korac Cup winner
Hate the style or love the style, there’s not a NBA fan out there who doesn’t know how influential Mike D’Antoni has been on modern basketball. He’s been all over the place over the past 35 years from a couple clubs in Italy to working as an assistant or head coach for eight different NBA teams. With that being said, let’s focus on the two stints that saw him coach high powered offenses based on pace and spacing. In the mid 2000’s, D’Antoni had the Suns playing a type of basketball that literally looked like it was from a different planet. When I was a kid watching that shit, it gave me so much inspiration because it was clear that success could be had while playing basketball like it’s soccer. In the last few years of the 2010’s, D’Antoni found another great fit in Houston, where they had the personnel to space the hell out of the floor and make every possession a nightmare to defend. I will stand by the fact that the 2018 Rockets are one of the best teams of all time to not win a title. When playing some of those D’Antoni led teams, you knew as an opposing fan that there was a high possibility that they would embarrass the piss out of your team. -ASJ
31. Bill Russell
Head
Boston Celtics (1966-1969)
Seattle SuperSonics (1973-1977)
Sacramento Kings (1987-1988)
NBA Regular season- 341-290, 54%
NBA Playoffs- 34-27, 55.7%
2-time NBA Champion (‘68, ‘69)
No player won more than Bill Russell. He’d win 11 titles as a player, eight straight from ‘59 to ‘66. When Red Auerbach came to after the ‘66 season and asked if he’d become a player-coach, Russell took the challenge head on. After not making it to the Finals for the first time in his NBA career in ‘67, Russell followed it up by winning his final two championships in ‘68 and ‘69. He would take some time off from coaching before taking a coaching job back on the west coast. Russell would only coach five more seasons, four with Seattle and one in Sacramento. He made two playoff appearances with the Sonics but nothing that bore much fruit. -MS
32. John MacCleod
Assistant
Phoenix Suns (1999-2000)
Denver Nuggets (2001-2004)
Golden State Warriors (2005-2006)
Head
Phoenix Suns (1973-1987)
Dallas Mavericks (1987-1989)
New York Knicks (1990-1991)
NBA Regular season- 707-657, 51.8%
NBA Playoffs- 47-54, 46.5%
The late John MacLeod is the longest-tenured coach in Phoenix Suns history. He spent 14 seasons in Phoenix, leading the team to the playoffs nine times, including three conference finals and one NBA Finals appearance, where they lost to Boston in 1976. MacLeod coached notable eras in Phoenix alongside players like Paul Westphal, Alvan Adams, Walter Davis, Larry Nance, and Maurice Lucas. He was let go during the 1986-87 season after a poor start, 56 games in.
MacLeod wouldn’t stay unemployed for long, as the Mavericks hired him as their head coach the very next year. In his first of three seasons with Dallas, he led the team to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the Showtime Lakers. MacLeod’s final NBA head coaching job came in the 1990-91 season when he took over for the New York Knicks, coaching the remaining 67 games. After coaching at Notre Dame from 1991 to 1999, MacLeod returned to the NBA as an assistant coach with Phoenix, Denver, and Golden State. -MS
33. Mike Budenholzer
Assistant
San Antonio Spurs (1996-2013)
Head
Atlanta Hawks (2013-2018)
Milwaukee Bucks (2018-2023)
Phoenix Suns (2024-present)
NBA Regular season- 509-340, 60%
NBA Playoffs- 56-48, 53.8%
2-time NBA Coach of the Year (‘15, ‘19)
5-time NBA Champion (‘99, ‘03, ‘05, ‘07, ‘21)
From 1996 to 2013, during the peak glory days in San Antonio, Mike Budenholzer served as an assistant coach for the Spurs. Just like everyone who contributed to that undeniable run, he has a place in Spurs fans hearts forever. Little did they know, he would go on to have success in multiple cities as a head coach after so many years of being an assistant to Pop. His first stop as head coach was Atlanta where he changed the entire way of doing things in the Peach State. He was voted Coach of the Year in his second campaign after leading the Hawks to a 60 win season and a conference finals appearance. They were “must watch” TV because of the pace and ability to get wins in various ways. After things got a tad stale in ATL, Bud was hired by Milwaukee to get Giannis and company over the hump. All five seasons under Bud, the Bucks were a title contending team and of course achieved the ultimate goal in 2021. His 2023 Milwaukee exit was controversial and he even took the ‘23-’24 season off before being hired as the Phoenix Suns head coach. We will see if he can continue to shape good teams into great teams as he still has plenty of good coaching years left. -ASJ
34. Cotton Fitzsimmons
Head
Phoenix Suns (1970-1972, 1988-1992, 1996-1997)
Atlanta Hawks (1972-1976)
Buffalo Braves (1977-1978)
Kansas City Kings (1978-1984)
San Antonio Spurs (1984-1986)
NBA Regular season- 832-775, 51.8%
NBA Playoffs- 35-49, 41.7%
2-time NBA Coach of the Year (‘79, ‘89)
The Phoenix Suns and Cotton Fitzsimmons had an on again, off again relationship. The Missouri man spent three different spells in charge of the Suns and helped lead them to the western conference finals in 1989, the same year he won his second NBA Coach of the Year award. He had other stints in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks, Buffalo Braves and San Antonio Spurs but most notably with the Kansas City Kings from 1978-1984. He won his first Coach of the Year award in ‘79, his first season in KC and surprisingly led the Kings to the conference finals in ‘81, despite having a losing record in the regular season. More of a longevity pick here than for his peak, Fitzsimmons was a beloved figure of the NBA world throughout the 70’s and 80’s. -AJ
35. Flip Saunders
Head
Rapid City Thrillers (1988-1989)
La Crosse Catbirds (1989-1994)
Sioux Falls Skyforce (1994-1995)
Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-2005, 2014-2015)
Detroit Pistons (2005-2008)
Washington Wizards (2009-2012)
NBA Regular season- 654-592, 52.5%
NBA Playoffs- 47-51, 48%
2-time CBA Coach of the Year (‘90, ‘92)
One of the faces and pioneers of Minnesota basketball, Flip Saunders played point guard for the University of Minnesota alongside Kevin McHale and Mychal Thompson (father of Klay). After working his way up through the college ranks and decorating himself in the CBA with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Saunders earned his way into an NBA organization as the General Manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1995, working under his former teammate in McHale. Just seven months after being hired, he added head coaching responsibilities to his role, replacing short-timer Bill Blair on the Wolves’ bench.
As the ringleader in Minnesota, he experienced some of his greatest success in relation to the game. He assembled one of the most successful seasons in franchise history with the 2003-04 western conference finals run, won the franchise’s first (and only to date) division title, and was largely responsible for drafting and developing the franchise’s best player of all time in Kevin Garnett. An excerpt from Garnett’s book about a pre-draft workout details this:
That day McHale was with T-Wolves general manager Flip Saunders. I later heard they’d come to the workout only as a decoy. They had the fifth pick in the draft, and their plan was to rave about me in hopes one of the teams ahead of them would be persuaded to pick me and allow a player Kevin and Flip really wanted to fall to them. But then after the workout, they were both convinced they were going to pick me. Flip said it was the best individual workout he’d ever seen.
Saunders’ ability to identify talent was remarkable. After his first 10-year stint with the Wolves, he was hired back to run the front office and mop up the mess that David Kahn had infamously left. While battling Hodgkins’ Lymphoma, he assembled a young core through the draft of Zach Lavine (pick 13), Karl-Anthony Towns (pick 1), and pulled off a trade of a disgruntled Kevin Love that notably landed them Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins was the third piece of an exciting young group with Ricky Rubio that brought the franchise into its next chapter, and turned the page from a disastrous run with Kahn and head coach Kurt Rambis at the helm. -ACarlson
36. Hubie Brown
Assistant
Milwaukee Bucks (1972-1974)
Head
Kentucky Colonels (1974-1976)
Atlanta Hawks (1976-1981)
New York Knicks (1982-1987)
Memphis Grizzlies (2002-2004)
ABA/NBA Regular season- 528-559, 48.6%
ABA/NBA Playoffs- 31-32, 49.2%
2-time NBA Coach of the Year (‘78, ‘04)
1975 ABA Champion
Hubie Brown is one of those pioneers who left his mark all over the game of basketball. Before hitting the big leagues, he had a few stops coaching high school and college squads, including a stint at Duke. He joined the NBA as an assistant coach, helping the Bucks make the Finals in ’74. But then Hubie made a bold move, jumping to the ABA to coach the Kentucky Colonels. In his first season there, he led them to an ABA championship, taking down the Pacers. However, the NBA-ABA merger cut his Kentucky run short.
After the merger, Hubie took the reins of the Hawks and Knicks, spending a decade in the NBA grind without a ton of wins to show for it. That’s when he shifted gears and became one of the most iconic voices in the game, spending 16 years as a color commentator and breaking it down like no one else could. But Hubie wasn’t done coaching—he came back in the early 2000s with the Grizzlies, leading them to their first-ever playoff appearance in 2004. He stepped away from coaching during the ’04-’05 season and returned to the booth, finishing his legendary announcing career on February 9, 2025, fittingly back in Milwaukee, where his NBA journey began. -ASJ
37. Zeljko Obradovic
Assistant
FR Yugoslavia national team (1992-1995)
Head
Partizan (1991-1993, 2021-present)
Joventut Badalona (1993-1994)
Real Madrid (1994-1997)
FR Yugoslavia national team (1996-2000)
Benetton Treviso (1997-1999)
Panathinaikos (1999-2012)
Fenerbahce (2013-2020)
2-time FIBA European Coach of the Year (‘94, ‘95)
3-time EuroLeague Coach of the Year (‘07, ‘11, ‘17)
4-time Greek League Coach of the Year (‘00, ‘05, ‘09, ‘11)
2-time Manager of the Year in Turkey (‘17, ‘18)
2-time ABA Coach of the Year (‘22, ‘23)
9-time EuroLeague Champion (‘92, ‘94, ‘95, ‘00, ‘02, ‘07, ‘09, ‘11, ‘17)
11-time Greek League Champion (‘00, ‘01, ‘03-’11)
4-time Turkish Super League Champion (‘14, ‘16-’18)
7-time Greek Cup winner (‘03, ‘05-’09, ‘12)
3-time Turkish Cup winner (‘16, ‘19, ‘20)
3-time Turkish Super Cup winner (‘13, ‘16, ‘17)
1997 Italian Cup winner
2-time FIBA Saporta Cup winner (‘97, ‘99)
1992 Yugoslav League Champion
1994 Catalan League Champion
2023 ABA League Champion
1992 Yugoslav Cup winner
1998 FIBA World Championship Gold Medal
1996 Olympic Silver Medal
1997 EuroBasket Gold Medal
1999 EuroBasket Bronze Medal
Born in 1960 in the former Yugoslavia, Zeljko Obradovic has become one of the most successful coaches in pro basketball history. After his playing days for Partizan ended thanks to a surprise coaching offer in 1991, he immediately was made head coach of his beloved Partizan. In his very first season as head coach, Obradovic led Partizan to the Yugoslavian league title, cup title and the EuroLeague title. All of this was happening as Yugoslavia was breaking apart. After stints in Spain with Joventut Badalona and Real Madrid, he spent time with Benetton Treviso and the FR Yugoslavian national team. In 1999 he became the head coach at Panathinaikos where he spent 13 incredible seasons. Following that legendary stint in Greece, Obradovic moved to Turkey with Fenerbahce, where he spent 7 excellent seasons before returning home to his native Serbia to coach Partizan, where he is still in charge. In his three plus decades as a coach, Obradovic has racked up loads of domestic titles and a truly astonishing 9 EuroLeague titles! The man is a true giant of the European game. -AJ
38. Mike Fratello
Assistant
Atlanta Hawks (1979-1982)
New York Knicks (1982-1983)
Head
Atlanta Hawks (1981, 1983-1990)
Cleveland Cavaliers (1993-1999)
Memphis Grizzlies (2004-2006)
NBA Regular season- 667-548, 54.9%
NBA Playoffs- 20-42, 32.3%
1986 NBA Coach of the Year
Longevity is a great way to get on this list. Mike “the Czar” Fratello is in the top 20 for most regular season wins by head coaches in the league. He is mostly known as an analyst with today's generation, but in the 80’s and 90’s, he coached some pretty badass teams. His best efforts were in the mid to late 80’s with Atlanta led by The Human Highlight Reel, Dominique Wilkins. 1980’s basketball is so dominated by the Magic and Bird legacy, but teams like the Hawks were a big reason why those Lakers and Celtics teams had to constantly push themselves to be even better. Fratello also led some decent Cleveland Cavaliers teams to the playoffs in the 90’s. He never got his teams to the promised land, but he was competitive and professional wherever he was. Standing at 5 foot 7, he has always demanded some respect no matter what job he’s had in the NBA. -ASJ
39. Jeff Van Gundy
Assistant
New York Knicks (1989-1996)
Los Angeles Clippers (2024-present)
Head
New York Knicks (1996-2001)
Houston Rockets (2003-2007)
USA national team (2017)
NBA Regular season- 430-318, 57.5%
NBA Playoffs- 44-44, 50%
2017 FIBA AmeriCup Gold Medal
Fuckin’ Jeff Van Gundy! I really miss hearing him on the call with Mike Breen. Not only could he do that with style, but he was also a hell of a coach with New York and Houston. After a long stint of assisting the Knicks, he took over as head coach and became the first coach to ever lead an 8 seeded team to the NBA Finals in 1999. After his New York run, Van Gundy headed down south to Houston where he helmed some really fun Rockets teams in the mid 2000’s, but after multiple first round exits, he was fired and moved on to broadcasting. There’s no question that he’s a valuable basketball mind to have on your staff. Van Gundy won a ring with the 2024 Celtics as a senior consultant and is now assisting Ty Lue’s LA Clippers. If you don’t like Van Gundy, I’m afraid you don’t like NBA basketball. -ASJ
40. Doug Moe
Assistant
Carolina Cougars (1972-1974)
Denver Nuggets (1974-1976, 2003-2008)
Head
San Antonio Spurs (1976-1980)
Denver Nuggets (1980-1990)
Philadelphia 76ers (1992-1993)
NBA Regular season- 628-529, 54.3%
NBA Playoffs- 33-50, 39.8%
1988 NBA Coach of the Year
Doug Moe had a distinctive NBA coaching career known for his up-tempo offensive style and relaxed demeanor. He began as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs in the mid-1970s, working under his longtime friend and mentor, Larry Brown. When Brown left the Spurs in ‘76, Moe took over as head coach and led the team to multiple playoff appearances, emphasizing a fast-paced offensive system that prioritized ball movement and creativity over structured plays. His tenure in San Antonio lasted until 1980, when he briefly served as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets before being promoted to head coach in 1981.
As the head coach of the Denver Nuggets from 1981 to 1990, Moe became one of the most successful and recognizable coaches of the decade. Under his leadership, the Nuggets consistently ranked among the league's highest-scoring teams, thanks to his motion offense. Moe coached the likes of David Thompson, Alex English, Dan Issel, and Kiki Vandeweghe who all succeeded in this system. He guided Denver to nine straight playoff appearances, including a trip to the western conference finals in 1985. Moe was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1988 for leading the Nuggets to a 54-win season. After leaving Denver, he later had a brief stint as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers in the early 1990s before retiring from coaching. His influence on offensive basketball and his laid-back, player-friendly coaching style left a lasting impact on the NBA. -MS
41. Michael Malone
Assistant
New York Knicks (2001-2005)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2005-2010)
New Orleans Hornets (2010-2011)
Golden State Warriors (2011-2013)
Head
Sacramento Kings (2013-2014)
Denver Nuggets (2015-present)
NBA Regular season- 493-381, 56.4%
NBA Playoffs- 44-36, 55%
2023 NBA Champion
The son of longtime coach, Brendan Malone, Michael has made his mark on the coaching world with his now decade long run as the head coach of the Denver Nuggets. The high point was obviously the championship in 2023, but Malone has helped make the Nuggets a year in and year out contender for perhaps the first time in their NBA history. Malone paid his dues as an assistant for a dozen years before getting his chance in Sacramento. As long as his time in Denver continues to be successful, this ranking is only temporary. -AJ
42. Ettore Messina
Assistant
APU Udine (1982-1983)
Virtus Bologna (1983-1989)
San Antonio Spurs (2014-2019)
Head
Virtus Bologna (1989-1993, 1997-2002)
Italian national team (1992-1997, 2015-2017)
Benetton Treviso (2002-2005)
CSKA Moscow (2005-2009, 2012-2014)
Real Madrid (2009-2011)
Olimpia Milano (2019-present)
2-time Italian League Coach of the Year (‘90, ‘93)
3-time LBA Coach of the Year (‘98, ‘01, ‘05)
1998 European Coach of the Year
2-time EuroLeague Coach of the Year (‘06, ‘08)
4-time EuroLeague Champion (‘98, ‘01, ‘06, ‘08)
8-time LBA Champion (‘84, ‘93, ‘98, ‘02, ‘03, ‘22-’24)
6-time Russian League Champion (‘06-’09, ‘13, ‘14)
1990 FIBA Saporta Cup winner
4-time Russian Cup winner (‘05-’08)
11-time Italian Cup winner (‘84, ‘89, ‘90, ‘99, ‘01-’05, ‘21, ‘22)
3-time Italian Supercup winner (‘02, ‘20, ‘24)
1997 EuroBasket Silver Medal
Ettore Messina began his coaching career over 40 years ago as an assistant with Udine and Bologna, before being named Bologna’s head coach in 1989. Since that point, Messina has taken his coaching talent all over Europe and also the NBA. The man from Catania has also spent time in charge of the Italian national team, Benetton Treviso, CSKA Moscow (twice) and Real Madrid. He won the EuroLeague title four times in an 11-year span from ‘98 to ‘08. In 2014, in a trail blazing move, Gregg Popovich hired Messina to be on his staff and he spent five years with the Spurs before returning to Italy to take the reins of Olimpia Milano, where he is still in charge. -AJ
43. Stan Van Gundy
Assistant
Miami Heat (1995-2003)
Head
Miami Heat (2003-2005)
Orlando Magic (2007-2012)
Detroit Pistons (2014-2018)
New Orleans Pelicans (2020-2021)
NBA Regular season- 554-425, 56.6%
NBA Playoffs- 48-43, 52.7%
Stan Van Gundy, younger brother of Jeff, spent the first ten years of his NBA coaching career with the Miami Heat. After eight years as an assistant, he was made head coach by Pat Riley and then had that privilege taken away in the ‘05-’06 season, when the Heat went on to win the NBA title under Riley. Stan moved to the central part of Florida in 2007 and turned the Magic into a contender, leading them to their only Finals appearance in the 21st century.
In 2014, SVG took full control of the Pistons and helped lead them to the playoffs in 2016, snapping a 7-year streak for the once-great franchise. To date, the last year that SVG coached was with the New Orleans Pelicans in the COVID affected ‘20-’21 season, before he turned his full attention to the broadcasting booth. -AJ
44. Del Harris
Assistant
Utah Stars (1975-1976)
Houston Rockets (1976-1979)
Milwaukee Bucks (1986-1987)
Dallas Mavericks (2000-2007)
Chicago Bulls (2008-2009)
New Jersey Nets (2009-2010)
Head
Vaqueros de Bayamón (1973-1975)
Iberia Superstars (1975)
Houston Rockets (1979-1983)
Milwaukee Bucks (1987-1991)
Los Angeles Lakers (1994-1999)
Texas Legends (2011-2012)
NBA Regular season- 556-457, 54.9%
NBA Playoffs- 38-50, 43.2%
1995 NBA Coach of the Year
How did I first know him? Space Jam. But he had been a prominent figure in the basketball world since the early 1970s. Over his coaching career, Harris was involved in five different basketball leagues. He began as a head coach in Puerto Rico, winning three titles with Vaqueros de Bayamón. He then became an assistant coach in Utah during their final season in the ABA. In 1976, Harris made the leap to the NBA, joining the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach.
From there, he alternated between assistant and head coaching roles. Starting as head coach at the beginning of the 1979–80 season, he maintained a roughly .500 record during his four years in Houston and even made one Finals appearance. It was a similar story in Milwaukee—he started as an assistant for a year before taking over as head coach in 1987. Harris remained in that role for four full seasons and part of a fifth.
He didn’t achieve a 50-win season until he arrived in Los Angeles as head coach of the Lakers. Harris was the first to coach the Shaq-Kobe duo, leading them to a conference finals appearance in the 1997–98 season, though they were swept by the Utah Jazz. The Lakers would be his final head coaching position before he transitioned back to assistant roles with Dallas, Chicago, and New Jersey. -MS
45. Nate McMillan
Assistant
Seattle SuperSonics (1998-2000)
USA national team (2006-2012)
Indiana Pacers (2013-2016)
Atlanta Hawks (2020-2021)
Los Angeles Lakers (2024-present)
Head
Seattle SuperSonics (2000-2005)
Portland Trail Blazers (2005-2012)
Indiana Pacers (2016-2020)
Atlanta Hawks (2021-2023)
NBA Regular season- 760-668, 53.2%
NBA Playoffs- 28-48, 36.8%
2-time Olympic Gold Medal (‘08, ‘12)
2007 FIBA Americas Championship Gold Medal
2006 FIBA World Championship Bronze Medal
Nate McMillian was Mr. Sonic to the people of Seattle for his ultra solid playing career in the Emerald City as well as his seven years as both an assistant and head coach for the franchise. After Seattle, McMillan stayed in the Pacific Northwest and led the Portland Trail Blazers to three straight playoff appearances in ‘09, ‘10 and ‘11. Nate later took charge of both the Pacers and the Hawks, helping the Hawks to the eastern conference finals in 2021.
McMillan has also been an assistant for USA Basketball, where he won Olympic Gold in both ‘08 and ‘12. Known as a standup guy, McMillan’s overall basketball reputation is one coaches should aspire to. -AJ
46. Tom Thibodeau
Assistant
Minnesota Timberwolves (1989-1991)
San Antonio Spurs (1992-1994)
Philadelphia 76ers (1994-1996)
New York Knicks (1996-2003)
Houston Rockets (2003-2007)
Boston Celtics (2007-2010)
USA national team (2014-2016)
Head
Chicago Bulls (2010-2015)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2016-2019)
New York Knicks (2020-present)
NBA Regular season- 559-406, 57.9%
NBA Playoffs- 38-47, 44.7%
2-time NBA Coach of the Year (‘11, ‘21)
2008 NBA Champion
2014 FIBA World Cup Gold Medal
2016 Olympic Gold Medal
Talk about putting your time in as an assistant to work your way to the top. When the Celtics won the title in 2008, it was very clear that Doc Rivers had a tremendous amount of trust in Tom Thibodeau and his defensive mind. Shortly after, he got his first head coaching job in Chicago and immediately became one of the most intense and respected in the league. Thibs had five really strong seasons in the Windy City before heading up north to Minnesota for three seasons where it felt like a lot was left on the table. That’s quite alright, because he has clearly found something special at Madison Square Garden with a handful of players that will run through a wall for him. Something tells me that he will move up this list in the next couple years. -ASJ
47. Gene Shue
Head
Baltimore/Washington Bullets (1966-1973, 1980-1986)
Philadelphia 76ers (1973-1977)
San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers (1978-1980, 1987-1989)
NBA Regular season- 784-861, 47.7%
NBA Playoffs- 30-47, 39%
2-time NBA Coach of the Year (‘69, ‘82)
Gene Shue will undoubtedly be best remembered for his two stints as the coach of the Washington Bullets franchise, where he won NBA Coach of the Year an astonishing 13 years apart! A five-time All-Star as a player with the Pistons, Shue was given the reins to the Bullets at just 34 years old. He helped lead the Bullets to the Finals in 1971 before becoming the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1973. In Philly, Shue led the Sixers to the Finals in ‘77, where they went up 2-0 before falling to Bill Walton’s Portland Trail Blazers. The late 70’s and whole decade of the 80’s saw Shue take charge of the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers for two separate stints as well as his second run with the Bullets. -AJ
48. Al Cervi
Head
Syracuse Nationals (1948-1958)
Philadelphia Warriors (1958-1959)
NBA Regular season- 326-241, 57.5%
NBA Playoffs- 33-26, 55.9%
1949 NBL Coach of the Year
1955 NBA Champion
One of the early great coaches in American pro basketball, Al Cervi is best known as the coach who finally broke the Minneapolis Lakers stranglehold on the league when he led the Syracuse Nationals to the NBA title in 1955. That season was the first with a shot clock, and Cervi and his team adjusted best to the new form of basketball, beating the Fort Wayne Pistons in a classic seven game series in the Finals. After his time in Syracuse came to an end, Cervi spent one season as the coach of the Philadelphia Warriors before retiring from coaching. -AJ
49. Nick Nurse
Assistant
Oklahoma Storm (2001, 2005)
Great Britain national team (2009-2012)
Toronto Raptors (2013-2018)
Head
Derby Rams (1990-1991)
Birmingham Bullets (1995-1997)
Telindus Oostende (1998)
Manchester Giants (1998-2000)
London Towers (2000-2001)
Brighton Bears (2001-2006)
Iowa Energy (2007-2011)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2011-2013)
Toronto Raptors (2018-2023)
Canada national team (2019-2023)
Philadelphia 76ers (2023-present)
NBA Regular season- 293-226, 56.5%
NBA Playoffs- 27-20, 57.4%
2020 NBA Coach of the Year
2019 NBA Champion
2011 NBA D-League Coach of the Year
2-time NBA D-League Champion (‘11, ‘13)
2-time BBL Coach of the Year (‘00, ‘04)
2-time BBL Champion (‘96, ‘00)
2003 English Cup winner
1998 Belgian Cup winner
1998 Belgian Super Cup winner
After a truly unique rise to the top level of coaching, Nick Nurse shot to the top of the game when he led the Toronto Raptors to their lone NBA title in 2019, his first season as their head coach. He spent most of the 90’s and 00’s coaching in the UK, before becoming a head coach for two different G-League franchises. In 2013, he became an assistant for the Raptors for five seasons before being made the head coach for another five years after that. In 2023, he took the Philadelphia 76ers head job, where he is still in charge. -AJ
50. Frank Vogel
Assistant
Boston Celtics (2001-2004)
Philadelphia 76ers (2004-2005)
Indiana Pacers (2007-2011)
Head
Indiana Pacers (2011-2016)
Orlando Magic (2016-2018)
Los Angeles Lakers (2019-2022)
Phoenix Suns (2023-2024)
NBA Regular season- 480-422, 53.2%
NBA Playoffs- 49-43, 53.3%
2020 NBA Champion
After a decade as an NBA assistant coach, Frank Vogel got his chance to run a team when the Indiana Pacers made him their head man in 2011. Vogel led the Pacers to two consecutive eastern conference finals appearances in ‘13 and ‘14, falling short to the Miami Heat both times. In 2016, he took charge of the Magic for a couple of seasons before landing the highest profile gig of his career to date, the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first season in charge, Vogel led the Lakers to the NBA title with a little help from guys like LeBron James and Anthony Davis. After a disappointing 2022 campaign, Vogel was let go. He then spent one season as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns in ‘23-’24. -AJ
