10. Don Nelson
Milwaukee Bucks (1977-1987), Golden State Warriors (1989-1995, 2010-) New York Knicks (1996) Dallas Mavericks (1998-2005)
Record: 1,335-1063 .557
Coach of the Year: 1983, 1985, 1992
Finals Appearances: 0
I guess I have to put him here, he has more wins than any other NBA head coach, but he's never so much as made a Finals appearance in his 34 years in the league. He won the FIBA world championship in '94, that's kind of cool. I'm not crazy about him, but he has a 1,000+ wins so I'll put him at 10.
9. John Kundla
Minneapolis Lakers (1949-1959)
403-302 .583
Finals Appearances: 6/ Championships: 5
The coach of the NBA's first dynasty ever. Lead by the NBA's first superstar, George Mikan, Kundla won 5 NBA titles almost consecutively with a gap between the second and third championship. He never missed the play-offs as a head coach for a full season.
8. Jerry Sloan
Chicago Bulls (1980-1982) Utah Jaz (1989-2011)
1221-803 .603
Finals Appearances: 2/ Championships: 0
The fact that Sloan has never won Coach of the Year is the testament to his consistency, it was always expected his team would have a low-to-high 50-win season. Of his 23 seasons in the NBA he only missed the play-offs 3 times. He made two consecutive Finals appearances but lost two 6-games series to the Bulls, both by a game winning shot. It is a shame Sloan was never able to win a title, a coffee stain on an otherwise outstanding resume.
7. Lenny Wilkens
Seattle SuperSonics (1969–1972, 1977–1985) , Portland Trail Blazers, (1974–1976) Cleveland Cavaliers, (1986–1993) Atlanta Hawks (1993–2000), Toronto Raptors (2000–2003), New York Knicks (2004–2005)
Record: 1,332-1,155, .536
Coach of the Year: 1993
Finals Appearances: 2/Championships: 1
Up until last season, Wilkens was the winnginest coach in NBA history. He is one of three people to be inducted in the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. He saw moderate success most of his career. His best seasons coming from his early years in coaching when he took his former team in Seattle to their only franchise title in '79.
6. Larry Brown
New Jersey Nets (1981–1983) San Antonio Spurs (1)988–1992) 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)
Record: 1327-1011 .568 (ABA Included)
Coach of the Year: 2001
Finals appearances: 3/ Championships: 1
Although Brown has a history of jumping ship, he still remains one of the best coaches in NBA history. After coaching in the ABA throughout the '70's he coached the Nets for three seasons, then left to coach the Kansas Jayhawks making two Final Four appearances and winning a national championship. His best years were probably with Detriot in the mid-2000's when he coached the Pistons into the upset over L.A. and took the Spurs to 7 games the following season.
5. Chuck Daly
Cleveland Cavilers (1981-1982) Detroit Pistons (1984-1992), New Jersey Nets (1993-1994), Orlando Magic (1998-99)
683-437 .593
Finals Appearances: 3/Championships: 2
The late Chuck Daly is best known for coaching the bad-boy Pistons. He orchestrated the "Jordan Rules" defense and halted Jordan's title efforts in the early years of his career. Daly was also the coach of the greatest team ever assembled in the history of sports, the Dream Team. While you may have hated the '80's Pistons, you had to respect Chuck Daly.
4. Gregg Popovich
San Antonio Spurs: (1997-)
781-371 .678
Coach of the Year: 2003
Finals Appearances: 4/Championships : 4
Like Sloan, Popovich is a model for consistency. After his rookie coaching season, Popovich has finished with at least 50 wins every season. He and Tim Duncan have won 4 championships in 9 seasons and Popovich is the only coach on this list that is undefeated in the Finals. He is a front-runner for his second Coach of the Year award and perhaps a fifth NBA title, that might bump him up a spot.
3. Pat Riley
Los Angeles Lakers (1982-1990), New York Knick (1992-1995), Miami Heat (1996-2003, 2006-2008)
1210-694 .636
Coach of the Year: 1990, 1993, 1997
Finals Appearances: 9/Championships: 5
Riley started out his career in a pretty good spot, coaching Magic and the Showtime Lakers to 4 championships in the 80's. In the 1990's he turned the Knicks into legitimate contenders, although Michael Jordan only allowed him one opportunity to make it to the Finals once. After leaving New York he went to Miami and was the centerpiece to the franchises' fierce rivalry. When he returned to coaching in 2006 after a 4 year absence he coached the Heat to their first NBA title. He is now the front runner for Executive of the Year and if Spolestra doesn't get it done we could see Riley return to the sideline in Miami.
2. Red Auerbach
Washington Capitals (1947-1949), Tri-Cities Blackhawks (1950), Boston Celtics (1951-1966)
938-479 .662
Coach of The Year: 1965
Finals Appearances: 10/Championships: 9
Auerbach is perhaps overall the greatest basketball mind in NBA history. He is the man responsible for the Celtics dominance in the NBA, he lead them to 8 consecutive titles and drafted Larry Bird in the late 70's to rejuvenate the franchise. Auerbach probably the most prominent figure in New England sports culture. He is immortalized in a statue found at Fanuiel Hall. While there may be a better coach, nobody could build a dynasty like Auerbach.
1. Phil Jackson
Chicago Bulls (1990-1998) Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2004, 2006-)
1136-477 .704
Coach of the Year: 1996
Finals Appearances: 13/Championships: 11
The greatest coach of all time is none other than the Zen-Master himself, Phil Jackson. Many argue that his success is largely due to the talent he has had rather than his acumen. After all, how hard can it be when you had the greatest player of all time, a top 50 player in Pippen, and two top 10 players on the same team (Shaq and Kobe)? Well consider this, Jordan's Bulls were never taken seriously as a contender until Phil Jackson came in. Phil's second year in Chicago they won a second best 61 games and went on to defeat Magic's Lakers for their first of 6 NBA titles. He coached the greatest team in NBA history (72 wins), and has never missed the play-offs. His first three seasons in L.A. resulted in the only three-peat of the decade, he is the only coach ever to 3-peat more than twice and the only coach that has won consecutive titles in 15 years and he has won 8 titles in those 15 years. The one season we did not seen Kobe Bryant in the play-offs (2005), guess who had taken a season off? Yup, Phil Jackson. In order to be a great coach, you need to have great players, it's not an amenity, its a necessity and no other coach was better at turning great players into perennial champions.
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