TI have National Basketball Association released its official list of the 15 greatest coaches in the world. NBA story. The publication is part of the league’s celebration 75th anniversary season.
The names were made public on a special program broadcast on TNT hosted by two former basketball superstars. Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade.
The list was selected by a panel of 43 current and former NBA coaches in collaboration with National Association of Basketball Coaches.
15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History
The legendary names are listed below in alphabetical order:
Auerbach network
Larry Brown
Chuck Daly
Red Holtzmann
Phil Jackson
KC Jones
Steve Kerr
Don Nelson
Gregg Popovich
Jack Ramsay
Pat Riley
Doc Rivers
Jerry Sloan
Eric Spoelstra
Lenny Wilkens
The Honorees have collectively won over 14,000 regular season games by helping teams 45 NBA championships and earned 16 NBA Coach of the Year awards over 300 coaching seasons.
Coaches who rank in the NBA’s top 25 in wins but are not in the all-time top 15 include: George Karl (6th), Rick Adelman (ninth), Bill Fitch (11th), Dick Motta (13th), Rick Carlyle (13th), Cotton Fitzsimmons (16th), Jin Shu (17th), Nate McMillan (18th), John MacLeod (19th) and Mike D’Antoni (21st).
Profiles and Major Achievements of the 15 Greatest NBA Coaches of All Time:
AUERBACH NETWORK
NBA seasons Coached: 20
Regular season record: 938-479
NBA championships: 9
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 1
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 1969
Auerbach has won nine NBA championships. Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1966. A record 11 head coaching times in the NBA All-Star Game. The NBA Coach of the Year award is named in his honor.
LARRY BROWN
Coached in NBA seasons: 26
Regular season record: 1098–904
NBA championships: 1
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 1
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 2002
CHUCK DALY
Coached in NBA seasons: 14
Regular season record: 638-437
NBA championships: 2
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 1994
Daly led Detroit Pistons consecutive NBA championships (1988-1990). Made the playoffs in 12 of 13 full seasons as an NBA head coach.
HOLTMAN NETWORK
NBA seasons Coached: 18
Regular season record: 696-603
NBA championships: 2
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 1
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 1986
PHIL JACKSON
NBA seasons Coached: 20
Regular season record: 1155–485
NBA championships: 11
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 1
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 2007
Jackson is a six-time NBA champion. Chicago Bulls in the 90s and five witches Los Angeles Lakers in the 2000s. Holds the record for most NBA championships as a head coach with 11. Has the most career playoff wins (229).
KC Jones
Coached in NBA seasons: 10
Regular season record: 522–252
NBA championships: 2
Jones led Boston Celtics two NBA championships (1983-84 and 1985-86). He was the head coach of the NBA All-Star Game five times.
STEVE KERR*
Coached in NBA seasons: 8
Regular season record: 417-184
NBA championships: 3
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 1
Kerr led Golden State Warriors up to 3 NBA championships in first four seasons as head coach.
DON NELSON
Coached in NBA seasons: 31
Regular season record: 1355–1063
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 3
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 2012
Nelson has the most regular season wins in NBA history. Won at least 300 games with three different franchises: Bucks, Warriors and Mavericks.
GREG POPOVICH*
Coached in NBA seasons: 26
Regular season record: 1330–687
NBA championships: 5
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 3
Popovich has the most wins in total in the regular season and playoffs (1,500). headed San Antonio Spurs to five NBA championships between 1998 and 2014 and just six wins away from becoming the best winning coach ever.
JACK RAMSEY
Coached in NBA seasons: 21
Regular season record: 864–783
NBA championships: 1
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 1992
Pat RILEY
Coached in NBA seasons: 24
Regular season record: 1210–694
NBA championships: 5
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 3
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 2008
Riley led the Los Angeles Lakers to four NBA championships in the 1980s and the Miami Heat to one in 2005-06. The only head coach to be selected as NBA Coach of the Year with three different franchises (Lakers, Heat and Knicks).
DOC RIVERS*
Coached in NBA seasons: 23
Regular season record: 1024–725
NBA championships: 1
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 1
Jerry Sloan
Coached in NBA seasons: 26
Regular season record: 1221–803
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 2009
Sloan was the head coach Utah Jazz for 23 seasons, the second-longest team tenure in NBA history, second only to Popovich’s 26 seasons with the Spurs.
ERIK SPOELSTRA*
Coached in NBA seasons: 14
Regular season record: 642–444
NBA championships: 2
Spoelstra led the Miami Heat to two consecutive NBA championships (2011–2013).
LENNIE WILKENS
Coached in NBA seasons: 32
Regular season record: 1332–1155
NBA championships: 1
NBA Coach of the Year Awards: 1
Basketball Hall of Fame class: 1998
Wilkens is second on the all-time regular season winners list. Holds NBA records for most seasons coached and regular season games coached (2,487).
* Current NBA head coaches