'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Don Nelson
Don Nelson was a brilliant NBA coach and an offensive genius who revolutionized the game with his unorthodox yet innovative style of play which later earned the moniker "Nellie Ball".
Nelson was obsessed with the small-ball lineup and the use of point-forwards, which was against basketball convention at that point. He believed that the offensive explosion that was caused by using smaller and quicker players with better shooting capabilities, would overcome their defensive deficiencies.
Nellie's teams blew their opponents out of the water as they outscored them while playing a lethal yet entertaining brand of basketball. He was the architect behind the legendary "Run TMC" Golden State Warriors team, based around Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. They went on to become the league's highest-scoring trio in the 1990-91 season due to the team's fast-paced run and gun style.
Don Nelson retired as the coach with the most wins in NBA history, accumulating an astonishing 1,335 wins with a percentage of .557 to go along with 75 playoff wins in 31-year career in the league. "Nellie Ball" was criticized as Nelson was unable to win a ring to show that it could work on the biggest stage. He was right, though, as teams such as the Miami Heat and the Golden State Warriors later re-adapted the system to win championships and create dynasties.
#2 George Karl
George Karl stood among his peers for his adaptability, and his teams were defined by the strengths and weaknesses of the personnel he had on the roster. The legendary coach was known to have a knack for developing players and finding ways to get the most out of them.
He preached a fast-paced up tempo style of play that believed in sharing the ball and not holding on to it for too long while finding the right looks. He is noted to be one of the more potent offensive minds and designed offensive systems that worked on the strengths of his roster while shielding their weaknesses.
Karl was often criticized for placing more emphasis on offense but looking at it in hindsight proved that he did what was necessary according to the construction of his team. In Seattle, his team was known to imbibe his ferociousness and tenacity to be one of the best defenses in the league, while his Bucks and Nuggets teams were more offensively oriented, ranking up there with the best.
He ended up with the third-most number of wins in NBA history with 1,175 wins at .588 percent to go along with 80 playoff wins and an NBA Finals appearance. Unfortunately, Karl did not win the ultimate prize with teams like the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan and Pop's San Antonio Spurs, standing between him and ultimate glory.
#1 Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan is a name synonymous with Utah Jazz basketball for his contributions during his 26-year tenure as Head Coach for the Jazz. He was a visionary who created a system that bucked the trend and had defenses scrambling during those times.
His flex offense was well ahead of the curve and was something that would completely change the way the game was played as teams adopted his system according to their roster 15-years later.
Sloan was instrumental in creating one of the most lethal one-two punches in NBA history in Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and John Stockton. Stockton and Malone perfected the pick-and-roll offense that we see today and put it to use with devastating results. The offense was geared towards bringing out the best in both superstars as each ended their careers ranked in the top two for assists and scoring respectively.
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery and with teams running offenses based on basic flex principles to an extent it has become a part of the game, it is a testament to Sloan's genius and ability to stick to his principles irrespective of the way the league was trending toward. Jerry Sloan ended his career as a coach with the highest win percentage after winning 1221 games at .603 % to go along with 98 playoff wins and two NBA Finals appearances.
Sloan, like many others, had to run through the G.O.A.T. Michael Jordan to get to the promised land but was unfortunately unable to do so, earning him the title of greatest coach to never win a championship ring.
