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While players are the most important part of every roster, no team can function properly without a great coach. Therefore, choosing the greatest NBA coach of all time is a difficult task.
There have been hundreds of coaches throughout the history of the league. Only 35 of them have managed to lead their team to a championship. Furthermore, only 14 of them have won two or more championships.
In this article, we will rank the five greatest NBA coaches of all time. The list is based on the number of championships, total wins, and win percentage, among other factors.
5. Steve Kerr
Steve Kerr has only been a head coach for eight years, yet he's won four championship rings. When it comes to championships, he is already the sixth-winningest coach in NBA history.
- Wins: 429
- Championships: 4
- Win percentage: 68.2%
- Coach of the Year awards: 1
Considering how incredible the Golden State Warriors are, we can expect Kerr to keep moving up the ladder. He is only 56 and will most likely end his coaching career as one of the top-three coaches of all time.
4. Pat Riley
Pat Riley has achieved a lot of success over the past few decades. He led the Los Angeles Lakers to four championships rings. He was also at the helm when the Miami Heat won their first-ever championship in 2006.
- Wins: 1210
- Championships: 5
- Win percentage: 63.6%
- Coach of the Year awards: 3
What made Riley one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time was his ability to adapt to different systems throughout the decades. His first NBA championship came in 1981, and the last one came in 2006.
3. Red Auerbach
If we look at consecutive championships, Red Auerbach is the greatest NBA coach of all time. He was the leader of the Boston Celtics in the '50s and '60s. He won eight straight championships with the team.
- Wins: 938
- Championships: 9
- Win percentage: 66.2%
- Coach of the Year awards: 1
He was a huge part of the golden era of the Celtics and deserves a lot of credit for all the championships. Yes, the NBA was different back then, but it still took someone special to keep his team winning consistently.
2. Gregg Popovich
Gregg Popovich's career began in 1996. In his third year, he led the San Antonio Spurs to their first-ever NBA championship.
- Wins: 1344
- Championships: 5
- Win percentage: 65.7%
- Coach of the Year awards: 3
With 1,344 career wins, Popovich ranks first among the head coaches in NBA history. The next closest active coach is Doc Rivers, who is more than 300 wins behind. Impressive!
1. Phil Jackson is the greatest NBA coach of all time
There have only been three instances of a three-peat in the modern NBA. Phil Jackson was a part of all of them. The Zen Master led Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls to two three-peats. He did the same with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal in Los Angeles.
- Wins: 1155
- Championships: 11
- Win percentage: 70.4%
- Coach of the Year awards: 1
Jackson holds the record for the most championships by a head coach. His impressive winning percentage puts him at the top of the list as well.
