NBA stands for National Basketball Association, one of the world’s most reputed professional basketball leagues. It was founded in 1946 as BAA (Basketball Association of America) and has a long history containing coaches’ achievements. When talking about top NBA coaches, it’s natural to ask yourself, who is the best NBA coach of all time? To find the accurate answer, we compiled a list of the top 10 NBA coaches of all time.
Top 10 NBA Coaches Ever
Here, We rank the best coaches in NBA history based on their championship wins.
10. Red Holzman
Red Holzman died in 1998 at the age of 78; however, his reputation as one of the greatest NBA coaches remains alive. Apart from winning the NBA championship, he was named NBA Coach of the Year and earned several other accomplishments as a coach.
NBA Championship Wins: 2
9. Tom Heinsohn
Tom Heinsohn is the ninth-best NBA coach of all time. The former American basketball coach won 8 NBA championships as a player, making an impression on the sport. Heinsohn died in 2020 at 86 but is among the best coaches in NBA history.
NBA Championship Wins: 2
8. Alex Hannum
Alex Hannum is ranked 8th among the Top 10 NBA coaches of all time. He won ABA (American Basketball Association) and NBA championships as a coach and was the NBA and ABA coach of the year. He is also a two-time NBA All-Star Game head coach.
NBA Championship Wins: 2
7. Chuck Daly
Chuck Daly, the seventh-best NBA coach of all time, is no longer with us. Apart from the NBA, Daly won the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) Tournament three times and the Regular Season four times.
NBA Championship Wins: 2
6. Steve Kerr
Steve Kerr is next among the top 10 NBA coaches. He has been the head coach of the Golden State Warriors since 2014. Kerr won the NBA championships several times, making an impact in the game.
NBA Championship Wins: 4
5. Gregg Popovich
The President and head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, is the fifth-best NBA coach of all time. He has had a decorated career, winning 3 NBA Coach of the Year titles and 3 SCIAC (Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) championships.
NBA Championship Wins: 5
4. Pat Riley
Pat Riley, one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, has earned the nickname “The Godfather” due to his stylish appearance. But that’s not all; he is the fourth-best NBA coach of all time. He even led the NBA All-Star game team 9 times.
NBA Championship Wins: 5
3. John Kundla
John Kundla is highly regarded, even by the top NBA coaches. His BAA and NBA winning percentage are .583, earning his spot among the top 10 NBA coaches of all time. He was even included in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
NBA Championship Wins: 5
2. Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach is the second-best NBA coach of all time. He died in 2006 at the age of 86 with an impressive career behind him. As a head coach, he led the NBA All-Star Game consecutively 11 times and was the NBA Coach of the Year in 1965.
NBA Championship Wins: 9
1. Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson is the best NBA coach of all time and has the most NBA Championship wins. Apart from the NBA championship, he also held the CBA Championship and was the CBA Coach of the Year and the NBA Coach of the Year. He led the NBA All-Star Game team four times.
NBA Championship Wins: 11
