The 17 Greatest NBA Head Coaches of All Time

Dynasty architects, quiet tacticians and fiery sideline generals span every era of the pro game, from the black-and-white days to the modern hardwood. Cast your vote!

1. 1
   Red Auerbach

   Architect of the Boston Celtics dynasty who won nine championships, including eight in a row.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Don Nelson

   Innovative offensive mind and the NBA's all-time wins leader, credited with popularizing small-ball.
   943pts
3. 3
   Chuck Daly

   Detroit's Bad Boys coach who won back-to-back titles and led the 1992 Dream Team.
   877pts
4. 4
   Phil Jackson

   Winner of a record 11 NBA titles guiding the Bulls and Lakers dynasties with his triangle offense.
   771pts
5. 5
   Pat Riley

   Showtime Lakers and Miami Heat leader who captured five championships across two eras.
   771pts
6. 6
   Lenny Wilkens

   Hall of Famer who won a title with Seattle and long held the record for career coaching wins.
   692pts
7. 7
   Steve Kerr

   Golden State Warriors coach who won four titles fielding a record-setting, ball-movement offense.
   600pts
8. 8
   Larry Brown

   The only coach to win both an NCAA title and an NBA championship, famed as a master teacher.
   600pts
9. 9
   K.C. Jones

   Celtics coach who won back-to-back titles in the 1980s after a Hall of Fame playing career.
   600pts
10. 10
    John Kundla

    Coach of the first NBA dynasty, winning five titles with the Minneapolis Lakers.
    491pts
11. 11
    Erik Spoelstra

    Miami Heat coach who guided the Big Three to back-to-back championships and repeated Finals runs.
    360pts
12. 12
    Rudy Tomjanovich

    Houston Rockets coach of back-to-back 1990s champions, famed for 'never underestimate the heart of a champion.'
    360pts
13. 13
    Alex Hannum

    The first coach to win NBA titles with two different franchises, breaking the Celtics' 1960s grip.
    360pts
14. 14
    Red Holzman

    New York Knicks coach who led the franchise to its only two championships in 1970 and 1973.
    360pts
15. 15
    Doc Rivers

    Championship-winning Celtics coach known for his leadership and 'ubuntu' team culture.
    360pts
16. 16
    Gregg Popovich

    Longtime Spurs coach with five titles and the most regular-season wins in NBA history.
    200pts
17. 17
    Jerry Sloan

    Utah Jazz stalwart who reached two Finals and won over 1,200 games across 23 seasons.
    200pts