NBA Coaches Mount Rushmore: 4 of the greatest ever feat. Gregg Popovich
One of the hardest things to do in the NBA is to win a championship, not just for players but for coaches as well. In the past 78 seasons of the league, there have only been 37 coaches who have guided their teams to at least one championship.
Phil Jackson holds the record for most NBA championships as a head coach with 11. Jackson won six with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s and five with the LA Lakers in the 2000s. Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics is the latest coach to win a ring.
But who are the four greatest coaches in NBA history? Let's look at the Mt. Rushmore of coaches featuring Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs.
Mount Rushmore of NBA Coaches
Red Auerbach | Washington Capitols, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics
Arguably the pioneer of head coaching in the NBA, Red Auerbach won nine championships, all for the Boston Celtics, including an unprecedented eight straight from 1959 to 1966. Auerbach's coaching resume speaks for itself with 938 wins in the regular season and 99 in the playoffs.
According to ESPN, Auerbach was a coaching genius with the ability to find the best players. He developed a fastbreak system that made life easy for his players. He only had seven set plays in his career, but other coaches had a hard time overcoming them.
Phil Jackson | Chicago Bulls, LA Lakers
Phil Jackson might just be the greatest coach in NBA history with 11 titles in his career. Jackson used Tex Winter's triangle offense and made it successful first with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. Having Michael Jordan on his team was certainly helpful, but only the right coach was able to get the best out him and his team.
Jackson won six championshps with the Bulls, and then followed it up with five more for the LA Lakers. Some might say that he had the greatest players such as Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. However, not all coaches can handle these players and their personalities.
Gregg Popovich | San Antonio Spurs
Gregg Popovich won five NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs and is also the all-time leader in wins. Popovich's best trait is getting the best out of his players whether it's the superstars or the role players. He's a motivator who is not afraid to discipline his players when they make mistakes on the court.
Some fans might argue that Tim Duncan was the real reason why Pop won all those years. It was a perfect combination and it should not diminish what Popovich has done in the league. He has an opportunity to add more rings with Victor Wembanyama ready to take over in the next few years.
Pat Riley | LA Lakers, New York Knicks, Miami Heat
Pat Riley revolutionized the NBA with the "Showtime" Lakers and it was impossible to do that without the right personnel such as Magic Johnson. Riley completes the Mt. Rushmore of coaches with five championships under his name. He won four with the Lakers and one with the Miami Heat.
Riley was known for his hard training, but he also knew how to construct a team around Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was able to convince everyone on his roster to buy in and it led to success. He also coached the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, leading both to the NBA Finals, but only winning a title with Miami in 2006.