# Who is the best coach in Denver Nuggets history?

> One championship ring, two NBA Coach of the Year trophies and a Hall of Famer from the franchise's ABA years make this a tougher call than the banners suggest.

*By YPB Team · Published November 12, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-best-coach-in-denver-nuggets-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Michael Malone** — score 1000/1000
   Head coach from 2015 to 2025 who led Denver to its first NBA championship in 2023 and holds the franchise records for regular-season and playoff wins.
2. **George Karl** — score 888/1000
   Hall of Fame coach who won 423 games with Denver from 2005 to 2013 and was named NBA Coach of the Year for the 57-25 season of 2012-13.
3. **Doug Moe** — score 462/1000
   Led the Nuggets for a decade from 1980 to 1990, winning 432 games with a fast-paced offense and the 1988 NBA Coach of the Year award.
4. **David Adelman** — score 339/1000
   Took over as interim coach in April 2025, won a first-round series against the Clippers, and led Denver to a 54-28 record in 2025-26.
5. **Jeff Bzdelik** — score 339/1000
   Coached the 2003-04 Nuggets from a 17-65 season to 43-39 and the franchise's first playoff berth in nine years.
6. **Larry Brown** — score 339/1000
   Hall of Fame coach who went 251-134 in Denver from 1974 to 1979, winning ABA Coach of the Year twice and reaching the 1976 ABA Finals.
7. **Dan Issel** — score 339/1000
   Former Nuggets star who coached the 1994 team that became the first eighth seed to beat a top seed, upsetting the Seattle SuperSonics.

Tags: basketball, nba, coaches, denver nuggets