Popular coaches earned a place on our list of top coaches in the NBA. Popular Coaches as accomplishments and leadership as a coach should be considered the best in the league’s history. Check 10 Popular Coaches In The NBA.
Coaches’ records include being the only coach to have led different teams to playoffs and to lead during the season. Coaches helped the team win consecutive NBA championships.
Top 10 Popular Coaches In The NBA Of All Time
1. Don Nelson
Nelson, who has 1,335 victories, is still the greatest coach in NBA history as of 2021. He is still a top coach in the league, despite never winning an NBA championship. Nelson helped transform several failed teams into powerful basketball teams, including Milwaukee Bucks.
He caused the biggest upset of all time when he led his eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors against his former coach, the Dallas Mavericks.
Nelson has been named the NBA Coach-of-the-Year three times.
2. Reed Holzman
Holzman is one of the few players and coaches in basketball to win both the NBA championship and the Coach’s Cup.
Most of his coaching career was spent with the New York Knicks. Holzman led his team to two NBA Championships and was named NBA Coach of Year in 1970. He is an eminent coach, having coached two NBA All-Star team teams.
3. John Kundera
Kundera was the Minneapolis Lakers’ first head coach. His impact on the team was huge and he reached the pinnacle of his coaching career.
He was the Lakers’ most successful player in 12 seasons. In 1959, the Lakers moved to Los Angeles. He started coaching Minnesota until he retired in 1968.
4. Larry Brown
Brown is an outstanding coach. He is also a head coach who has won both the NBA championship and the NCAA men’s basketball title. He was the 2001 NBA Coaches of the Year. Besides, he served as the head coaching of two All-Star teams.
5. Lanny Wilkens
Wilkens was elected to the Hall of Fame, which is an amazing event. In 1992, he was chosen as a player and coach, and assistant coach, for the U.S. Olympic teams three times. He was named the Seattle SuperSonics coach of the year and won an NBA championship.
Wilkens was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1979. He also won an Olympic Gold Medal in his coaching combination. He was the US Olympic Team’s head coach in 1996 and won the gold. Wilkens was able to retire with a record 1,132 victories. This was the second-highest win in NBA history.
6. Chuck Daly
Daly is well-known for his performance in the 1992 Olympics when he led the US to the Olympic basketball medal.
He also had great success in the NBA. When he joined the Detroit Pistons he led them to the playoffs. He was elected as the NBA All-Star Game’s head coach in 1990.
7. Pat Riley
Riley’s coaching career saw him lead five NBA championship teams, including two consecutive championships for the Lakers. Riley has been the NBA Coach of Year three times and All-Star Coach nine times.
Riley received the Zach Daley Achievement Award, an award that was given by the NBA to recognize his achievements over the years. This made him the fifth recipient of the highest honor for a symbolic coach.
8. Gregg Popovich
Popovich, who is the NBA’s longest-serving head coach, helped the San Antonio Spurs win this trophy through his outstanding performances. He led the Spurs and their 20 consecutive seasons of at least 50 wins. Additionally, he helped them to the playoffs in every season he coached.
Most, he led his team to five NBA titles and was one of only five coaches to have won the championship at least five times. He won the NBA Coaches of the Year award three and was the head coach for the All-Star team for four years.
Popovich still coaches the Spurs and serves as the team president.
9. Arnold Auerbach
Auerbach did the impossible by leading the Boston Celtics from 0 to 9 in the NBA. Eight of these nine championship titles are won. His record of 938 wins was set by him when he retired.
It was the highest number of victories ever won by an NBA coach. Auerbach was awarded the NBA Coach of the Year Award. He was also inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
10. Phil Jackson
Jackson can be called the most successful and greatest NBA coach, having won 13 NBA championship rings. He broke Auerbach’s record of 9 NBA Championships.
He also won a record number of NBA championships while coaching and two championships during his career as a player. Jackson led Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championships and won five more championships while with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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