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NBA head coaches

74 articles

Adrian Griffin

Adrian Griffin (born 1974, Wichita, Kansas) is a former NBA player and assistant who was Milwaukee Bucks head coach from June 2023 to January 23, 2024, fired at 30-13 after 43 games, tied for the third-shortest full-time tenure in NBA history.

Alvin Gentry

Alvin Gentry, NBA head coach of six teams (Heat, Pistons, Clippers, Suns, Pelicans, Kings), career 534-636; associate head coach of the 2015 champion Warriors; now Kings VP of basketball engagement.

Avery Johnson

Avery Johnson (born 1965, New Orleans), "The Little General": NBA point guard, 1999 champion with Spurs; NBA Coach of the Year 2006 with Dallas Mavericks; later coached Nets and Alabama.

Billy Donovan

Billy Donovan, American basketball coach, Florida Gators head coach 1996-2015 with back-to-back NCAA titles 2006-07, later NBA coach of the Thunder and Bulls, Hall of Fame 2025.

Brad Stevens

Brad Stevens, American basketball executive and former coach; Butler Bulldogs head coach 2007-13 (166-49, 2010-11 NCAA runner-up), Boston Celtics head coach 2013-21 (354-282), then president of basketball operations, 2024 NBA champion, two-time Executive of the Year.

Brett Brown

Brett Brown (born 1961, South Portland, Maine) is an American basketball coach, 76ers head coach 2013-2020 (221-344) during "The Process," former Spurs assistant with four rings, and Australia Boomers head coach.

Byron Scott

Byron Scott (Lord Byron), born 1961, American NBA shooting guard and head coach; won three titles with the Showtime Lakers (1985, 1987, 1988), coached the Nets to two Finals, won 2008 Coach of the Year with New Orleans, 454-647 career record.

Chauncey Billups

Chauncey Billups (Mr. Big Shot), born 1976, NBA guard, 2004 champion and Finals MVP with Detroit Pistons, five-time All-Star, Hall of Fame 2024; later Trail Blazers head coach 2021-2025, arrested in 2025 federal mafia poker-gambling case.

Chuck Daly

Chuck Daly (1930–2009), American basketball coach; led Detroit Pistons to 1989–90 NBA titles and coached the 1992 Dream Team to Olympic gold; Hall of Fame 1994.

Cotton Fitzsimmons

Cotton Fitzsimmons (Lowell Gibbs Fitzsimmons, 1931-2004) was an NBA head coach who won 832 games with the Suns, Hawks, Braves, Kings, and Spurs, twice Coach of the Year, and a 2021 Hall of Fame Contributor.

Darvin Ham

Darvin Ham, NBA assistant coach and former player, was Los Angeles Lakers head coach 2022-24 (90-74, 2023 Western Conference Finals, inaugural In-Season Tournament title), fired May 3, 2024, now a Milwaukee Bucks assistant.

David Blatt

David Blatt, Israeli-American basketball coach born in Boston, won the 2014 EuroLeague with Maccabi Tel Aviv and EuroBasket 2007 with Russia, coached the Cavaliers to the 2015 NBA Finals, and holds both EuroLeague and NBA championship rings.

Doc Rivers

Doc Rivers (Glenn Anton Rivers, born 1961) is an American basketball coach, former point guard, and broadcaster; 2008 NBA champion Celtics coach, 2000 Coach of the Year, 2026 Hall of Fame inductee, and Bucks head coach until April 2026.

Don Nelson

Don Nelson (1940-2026), "Nellie," Hall of Fame NBA head coach of the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks, and Mavericks; 1,335 career wins, second all-time, three-time Coach of the Year, five-time champion as a Celtics player, pioneer of small-ball and the point forward.

Doug Christie

Doug Christie (born 1970, Seattle) is head coach of the Sacramento Kings and a former NBA guard-forward; 15 seasons, 17th pick of the 1992 draft, four All-Defensive selections with the Kings, interim head coach December 2024, permanent May 2025.

Dwane Casey

Dwane Casey (born 1957) is an American basketball coach, 2018 NBA Coach of the Year with the Toronto Raptors, former head coach of the Timberwolves, Raptors, and Pistons (494-570), now Pistons Senior Advisor of Basketball Operations.

Erik Spoelstra

Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat head coach since 2008-09, two-time NBA champion (2012, 2013), six Finals appearances, winningest coach in Heat history, and 2025-28 USA Basketball Men's National Team head coach.

Flip Saunders

Flip Saunders (Philip Saunders, 1955-2015) was an NBA head coach of the Timberwolves, Pistons, and Wizards, 654-592 career record, 2004 Western Conference Finals, died of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Frank Vogel

Frank Vogel, NBA head coach of the Pacers, Magic, Lakers, and Suns, won the 2020 championship with Los Angeles; career record 480-422; Golden State Warriors assistant from 2026.

George Karl

George Karl (born 1951) is a Hall of Fame NBA head coach with 1,175 wins, sixth-most all-time, who coached six franchises, led the 1996 SuperSonics to the NBA Finals, won the 2013 Coach of the Year, and was known for feuds with star players.

Gregg Popovich

Gregg Popovich, "Coach Pop," San Antonio Spurs head coach 1996-2025, five NBA championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), NBA all-time wins leader, Hall of Famer, now Spurs president of basketball operations.

Hubie Brown

Hubie Brown (Hubert Jude Brown, born 1933) is an American Hall of Fame basketball coach and broadcaster: 1975 ABA champion with Kentucky, two-time NBA Coach of the Year (1978, 2004), and 35-season national TV and radio analyst who retired in February 2025.

Ime Udoka

Ime Udoka (born 1977, Portland, Oregon) is a Nigerian-American NBA coach and former player; head coach of the Houston Rockets since 2023, formerly Boston Celtics head coach who reached the 2022 NBA Finals.

J. B. Bickerstaff

J.B. Bickerstaff (John Blair Bickerstaff, born 1979, Denver) is an NBA head coach leading the Detroit Pistons since 2024, after head coaching stints with Houston, Memphis, and Cleveland; 2026 NBCA Coach of the Year.

Jack McKinney (basketball)

Jack McKinney, NBA head coach of the Lakers (1979-80), Pacers, and Kings; his 1979 bicycle accident and coma led Paul Westhead to replace him and launch the Showtime dynasty.

Jacque Vaughn

Jacque Vaughn, born 1975, is a former NBA point guard and head coach of the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets (career 129-226), a 2007 champion with San Antonio, and a Kansas Jayhawks assistant since May 2025.

Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd (born 1973, San Francisco) is an American Hall of Fame point guard and NBA coach; 19 seasons, 12,091 assists, 2011 champion, Olympic gold 2000 and 2008, later coached the Nets, Bucks, and Mavericks.

Jeff Hornacek

Jeff Hornacek (born 1963, Elmhurst, Illinois) is a former NBA guard, 1992 All-Star, two-time Finals participant with Utah, and later head coach of the Phoenix Suns (101-112) and New York Knicks (60-104).

Jeff Van Gundy

Jeff Van Gundy, born 1962, American NBA coach and broadcaster; head coach of the Knicks and Rockets (430-318, .575, 44-44 playoffs, 1999 Finals), 16 seasons on ESPN, now Clippers lead assistant under Ty Lue.

Jerry Colangelo

Jerry Colangelo (born 1939) is an American sports executive: Phoenix Suns GM at 28 in 1968, four-time NBA Executive of the Year, Diamondbacks founder (2001 World Series), USA Basketball managing director 2005-21, Hall of Famer 2004.