Here are the 10 best NBA coaches of all time who transformed the league, from Phil Jackson's Zen mastery to Steve Kerr's revolutionary offense. Discover how these basketball's greatest minds created dynasties and transformed the game.
When it comes to the NBA, we often celebrate the superstars – the players who made history with their wins and incredible plays.
There's not enough focus on the coaches, though. They are the real architects behind many of the league's greatest successes. Is it a coincidence that Michael Jordan started winning only when Phil Jackson arrived on the Bulls' bench? Absolutely not.
Why do we still remember the Lakers' Showtime era? Sure, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played major roles, but coach Pat Riley gave them the tools to build that unforgettable dynasty. If the Boston Celtics are one of the most famous franchises in the league's history, it's primarily because of coach Red Auerbach's work over the years.
In order to celebrate some of the basketball's greatest minds ever, I decided to rank the 10 best NBA coaches of all time.
Top 10 NBA coaches of all time
10. Erik Spoelstra: The Miami Mastermind
The path that led Erik Spoelstra to become one of the top coaches of his generation is truly unique. Arriving in Miami in 1997 as a video coordinator with little expectation of a long tenure, he quickly became a crucial figure for the franchise, first as Pat Riley's top assistant and later as his successor.
Having Filipino ancestry on his mother's side, Spoelstra also became the first Asian American head coach in NBA history.
At the helm of the Miami Heat, Spoelstra has led the team to six NBA Finals appearances, winning two NBA titles during the "Big Three" era, when the Heat featured LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
With over 750 regular-season wins, Spoelstra continues to be regarded as one of the best coaches of his generation. Despite the challenges of recent years, Spoelstra has consistently kept the Heat competitive, often exceeding expectations.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 14* | 642-444 (.591)* | 2 | 0 |
*Before the 2024-25 season.
9. Larry Brown: The Turnaround Specialist
Larry Brown has been perhaps the best coach in NBA history, taking teams that had been mediocre up to the time of his arrival and turning them into successful franchises.
In almost all of his NBA head coaching experiences, Brown arrived in losing contexts and, within a short time, turned those teams into playoff contenders.
It happened with the San Antonio Spurs, then with the Los Angeles Clippers, and later with the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia.
In Philadelphia, Brown reached his first NBA finals as a head coach, guiding Allen Iverson's Sixers to the finals against Kobe and Shaq's Lakers.
Despite a complex relationship with Iverson, Brown brought out the best in one of the greatest guards of all time, who would later confess that Brown had been the No. 1 coach he had had in his career.
Brown's real masterpiece, however, came with the Detroit Pistons. Arriving to replace Rick Carlisle, who had taken the Pistons to the Conference Finals, Brown immediately won the NBA title in his first season as head coach, sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0.
His team lacked a true superstar, but the leadership of players like Billups and Hamilton, the defensive tenacity of Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince, and the unbridled talent of Rasheed Wallace created an unbeatable mix that season.
To date, Brown is the only head coach to have won both an NBA and an NCAA title, another accomplishment that surely places him among the best coaches in league history.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 26 | 1,098-904 (.548) | 1 | 1 |
8. Jerry Sloan: The Iron Man of Utah
When we talk about the best NBA coaches of all time, it's almost impossible not to mention Jerry Sloan. Even though he never won an NBA title during his career, his consistency over the years was a rare achievement.
Sloan coached the Utah Jazz for an impressive 23 years, leading them to the playoffs 15 consecutive times from 1988 to 2003.
During his time with the Jazz, Utah only missed the playoffs three times. They reached the conference finals six times and made two NBA Finals appearances, losing both times to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.
Sloan, who passed away in 2020, finished his NBA career with more than 1,200 regular-season wins. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time to have never won an NBA title. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, Sloan was named one of the NBA's 15 greatest coaches in 2022.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 26 | 1,221-803 (.603) | 0 | 0 |
7. Chuck Daly: The Bad Boys' Architect
Between the mid-1980s and early 1990s, Chuck Daly's name became inextricably linked with the Detroit Pistons.
From 1987 to 1990, the Pennsylvania-born coach led the Pistons to three consecutive NBA Finals, winning two titles. Even today, his Pistons are remembered as one of the league's most iconic teams. The "Bad Boys" Pistons made physicality and intense defense their defining characteristics.
Daly implemented an extremely physical defense to contain the GOAT of basketball, Michael Jordan, and his Chicago Bulls, while leaving the offense in the hands of Isiah Thomas, one of the most creative point guards in NBA history.
He was also the head coach of the legendary "Dream Team," the first U.S. Olympic basketball team to feature NBA superstars, which dominated the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Daly coached the New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, and Cleveland Cavaliers during his NBA career. He retired with more than 630 regular-season wins to his name.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 14 | 638-437 (.593) | 2 | 0 |
6. Don Nelson: The Innovation Pioneer
Don Nelson was a true pioneer of the game of basketball. He introduced the concept of the point forward, often used untraditional lineups without the presence of a traditional big man, and made massive use of trades to change his rosters.
In his years in Milwaukee, he was consistently one of the best coaches in the league. Still, he had the misfortune of always finding himself against Larry Bird's Boston Celtics or Julius Erving's Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs. Don Nelson
During his time with the Dallas Mavericks, he was able to turn the franchise's fortunes around. He was the initiator of the trade that brought both Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash to Dallas, turning the team into one of the best in the Western Conference.
With more than 1,300 regular season wins for years, he was the winningest coach in NBA history. His record was only surpassed in 2022 by Gregg Popovich.
Although he never won an NBA title, his impact on the league was unquestionable. Nelson was a true trailblazer of the times.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 31 | 1,335-1,063 (.557) | 0 | 3 |
5. Steve Kerr: The Warriors' revolutionary
If we talk about the most recent era of the NBA, no coach has had a greater influence on the evolution of the game than Steve Kerr.
His Golden State Warriors have literally revolutionalized the way basketball is played across the league, with an ever-increasing emphasis on fast-paced offense and long-range shooting.
What's most striking about Steve Kerr's success is that his legacy was far from guaranteed. When he first arrived on the Warriors' bench, Kerr was a rookie coach coming off a challenging tenure as the general manager of the Phoenix Suns. Despite a solid playing career, few believed he could become a world-class head coach.
However, Kerr proved the skeptics wrong. He led his Golden State Warriors to five consecutive NBA Finals, the second-longest streak in league history. In the 2015–2016 season, he coached the Warriors to a record-breaking 73-win regular season.
Under his leadership, Golden State – historically a struggling franchise – has won four NBA titles (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022). Kerr's championship count could have been even higher if not for a phenomenal performance by LeBron James in 2016.
Beyond his on-court achievements, Kerr has established himself as a prominent voice in American sports, often speaking out on sensitive issues such as gun control.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 8* | 417-184 (.694)* | 3 | 1 |
*Before the 2024-25 season.
4. Gregg Popovich: The Basketball Philosopher
Five-time NBA Champion and three-time coach of the year are definitely impressive numbers, but they're still unable to describe the greatness of coach Gregg Popovich completely.
Coach Pop has been associated with the San Antonio Spurs since 1996 and is one of the longest-tenured NBA coaches. Popovich has changed the franchise's fortunes through his work, turning it into one of the strongest and most respected ever.
Now, he's the winningest NBA coach of all time, with 1395 victories under his belt.
But beyond his work on the court, Popovich has also become one of the most appreciated personalities in the entire sports world, with his sense of humor and ability to deal with even very serious topics. We can only wish him a speedy recovery after the illness that struck him a few weeks ago.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 26* | 1,330-687 (.661)* | 5 | 3 |
*Before the 2024-25 season.
3. Pat Riley: The Showtime Maestro
Pat Riley won four of his five NBA titles with the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers, playing spectacular basketball that thrilled L.A. fans.
During the rest of his career, Riley was able to adapt to quite different styles of play and still managed to achieve great results, as he did with the Knicks and, to some extent, with the Miami Heat.
In Miami, Riley also became one of the most highly regarded executives in the entire league, able to build a true dynasty in Florida.
But Pat Riley's greatness also lies in his image. In the 1980s, during the successes of his Lakers, he became popularized for his unique style: the slicked-back hairstyle, the Armani suites, and the perfect tan.
At nearly 80 years old, Riley is still one of the most recognizable figures in the entire NBA and continues to inspire younger coaches.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 24 | 1,210-694 (.636) | 5 | 3 |
2. Red Auerbach: The dynasty builder
Red Auerbach was probably the first head coach in the league's history to build a true dynasty. Between the 1950s and the 1960s, his Boston Celtics were simply unstoppable.
During Auerbach's tenure, the Boston Celtics won a record eight NBA titles in a row from 1958 to 1966. Auerbach also won another NBA title in the 1956–57 season, bringing his total to nine NBA titles.
When he retired in 1966, Auerbach was the winningest coach in league history, and his record remained unbroken until 1995, nearly 30 years later.
In his years with the Boston Celtics, Auerbach coached true legends of the game, inculding Bill Russell, arguably the best center ever, as well Bob Cousy and John Havlicek.
He was also one of the first coaches in NBA history to emphasize the game's psychological aspect, succeeding in convincing some of his stars to prioritize teamwork to overcome more individualistic champions like Wilt Chamberlain.
Only Phil Jackson could surpass Auerbach in total NBA titles won, but the former Celtics head coach's impact on the league was likely even more significant than Jackson's.
If even today, we consider the Boston Celtics one of the most important franchises in the league's history, it's because of the mark that Red Auerbach left on the franchise.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 20 | 938-479 (.662) | 9 | 1 |
1. Phil Jackson: The Zen Master of Championships
To complete this list, Phil Jackson, simply the winningest coach in NBA history with 11 career titles won, certainly could not be absent and might be even considered as the best NBA coach of all time.
Jackson coached two of the best players in the history of the game, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, who even retired because they couldn't keep working together.
In both cases, he was able to impart to two such offensively dominant players the principles of his triangle offense, convincing them to be part of a system bigger than themselves.
He is the only coach in NBA history to have achieved three three-peats in his career, two with the Chicago Bulls and one with the Los Angeles Lakers.
His ability to also psychologically manage players with the Zen approach made him a true legend of the game.
Phil Jackson is synonymous with success and greatness, and it is impossible not to mention him when talking about the best coaches in the history of the NBA.
| Seasons | Regular season record | Championships | COTY awards |
| 20 | 1,155-485 (.704) | 11 | 1 |
