NBA releases list of 15 greatest coaches in league history
Michael Gonzales / National Basketball Association / Getty
The NBA released a list Tuesday determining its top 15 coaches of all time.
The unveiling was part of the league's 75th anniversary celebrations. A list of the 75 greatest players in NBA history was released earlier this season.
Selections were made by a panel of 43 current and past head coaches with contributions from the National Basketball Coaches Association.
| Coach | Main Team | Record | Win % | Titles | Coach of the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Auerbach | Celtics | 823-426 | 65.9% | 9 | 1-time |
| Larry Brown | 76ers | 1098-904 | 54.8% | 1 | 1-time |
| Chuck Daly | Pistons | 638-437 | 59.3% | 2 | None |
| Red Holzman | Knicks | 696-603 | 53.6% | 2 | 1-time |
| Phil Jackson | Lakers/Bulls | 1155-485 | 70.4% | 11 | 1-time |
| K.C. Jones | Celtics | 522-252 | 67.4% | 2 | None |
| Steve Kerr* | Warriors | 417-184 | 69.4% | 3 | 1-time |
| Don Nelson | Warriors/Bucks | 1335-1063 | 55.7% | 0 | 3-time |
| Gregg Popovich* | Spurs | 1330-687 | 65.9% | 5 | 3-time |
| Jack Ramsay | Blazers | 864-783 | 52.5% | 1 | None |
| Pat Riley | Heat | 1210-694 | 63.6% | 5 | 3-time |
| Doc Rivers* | Celtics | 1024-725 | 58.5% | 1 | 1-time |
| Jerry Sloan | Jazz | 1221-803 | 60.3% | 0 | None |
| Erik Spoelstra* | Heat | 642-444 | 59.1% | 2 | None |
| Lenny Wilkens | Sonics | 1332-1155 | 53.6% | 1 | 1-time |
* indicates active head coach
The coaches combined for 45 NBA championships and 16 Coach of the Year awards. The list features eight of the 10 all-time winningest coaches in league history.
Four active bench bosses made the list, including Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who has the fewest wins among the honorees with 417.
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