Top 5 most liked coaches in NBA history
It takes more than great talent to win in the NBA, you also need a great coach. The best among them are not only basketball gurus. They are teachers, motivators, strategists, and occasionally therapists. They also know how to manage different personalities and huge egos. There have been more than 300 coaches in the history of the league but these are the top 5 most liked coaches in NBA history.
Top 5 most liked coaches in NBA history
Chuck Daly
Teams coached: Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic
Regular season record: 638-437 (.593)
Postseason record: 75-51 (.595)
Career earnings: $20 million
In his first stint as a head coach, Daly went 9-32 with the Cavaliers before getting fired midway through the 1981-82 season. Despite that inauspicious start, the Pistons put him in charge two years later, and Daly never had another losing record in 13 seasons in Detroit, New Jersey, and Orlando. He won titles with the Pistons in 1989 and 1990, reveling in the team’s “Bad Boys” image, and his firm stewardship helped the 1992 Dream Team avoid any of the ego problems that plagued later versions.
Nicknamed “Daddy Rich”, he was so committed to being the best dresser in the NBA that he used to send out scouts for the express purpose of reporting on what rival coaches were wearing.
Gregg Popovich
Teams coached: San Antonio Spurs
Regular-season record: 1,310-653 (.667)
Postseason record: 170-114 (.599)
Career earnings: $40 million
As general manager of the Spurs in 1996, Popovich was heavily criticized for firing Bob Hill and hiring someone with no experience as an NBA head coach — himself. No one in San Antonio is complaining now. Tim Duncan’s arrival the next season ended up creating a perfect pairing of star player and coach. Even more than Russell and Auerbach in Boston, or Jordan and Jackson in Chicago, Duncan and Pop have been soulmates in terms of their temperaments and approach to the game. The three-time Coach of the Year led the Spurs to the playoffs for 22 straight seasons from 1998 to 2019 and is responsible for all five of the franchise’s NBA Championships.
Pat Riley
Teams coached: Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Miami Heat
Regular-season record: 1,210-694 (.636)
Postseason record: 171-111 (.606)
NBA Championships: 5
Career earnings: $65 million
Few coaches have shown a greater ability to adapt their style to their personnel than Pat Riley. The three-time Coach of the Year rose to fame as the architect of the Showtime Lakers, whose aesthetically pleasing fastbreak approach led to four championships. He then spent four seasons with the Knicks, whom he molded into the toughest, dirtiest team in recent memory. There were times where it appeared Anthony Mason and Charles Oakley were playing rugby while everyone else was playing basketball. It was seldom pretty, but New York’s down-and-dirty approach leads to a .680 winning percentage and an Eastern Conference Championship.
Red Auerbach
Teams coached: Washington Capitals, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Boston Celtics
Regular-season record: 938-479 (.662)
Postseason record: 99-69 (.589)
NBA Championships: 9
Career earnings: $19 million
Red Auerbach is known for his nine straight conference titles and eight straight NBA Championships, but here’s another number you should know about the Celtics legend: zero. That’s the number of assistants Auerbach had on his staff during his entire tenure in Boston. The Brooklyn native coached games, ran practices, oversaw player development and, on occasion, even taped up ankles prior to game time. His ability to wear so many hats is extraordinary in today’s era of increased specialization.
Phil Jackson
Teams coached: Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers
Regular-season record: 1155-485 (.705)
Postseason record: 229-104 (.688)
Career earnings: $70 million
In order to be a great coach in college, you need to be an excellent tactician and recruiter, but in order to excel in the NBA, you need to be an excellent mediator. Phil Jackson understands this better than anyone on our list and was able to parlay his deep knowledge of the human psyche into 11 championships. He taught Michael Jordan to trust his teammates, he brokered countless peace treaties between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and, perhaps most impressively, he prevented Kobe from throttling Smush Parker every time he turned over the ball. Frankly, it’s amazing he never won the Nobel Prize.
