Top 5 NBA coaches who are yet to win a championship ring
NBA coaches are often lambasted for not winning titles despite having a consistent record of winning in the regular and post-season. Highly successful coaches sometimes receive unwarranted criticism despite carving out a legacy of their own with their coaching skills and style of play, due to an unhealthy obsession with winning rings.
Players such as Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson sometimes get away with the criticism due to their exceptional personal records and accolades. Coaches do not enjoy the same freedom and are looked at based on the titles that they have won and not on their records, despite having a better win percentage than most coaches with multiple titles.
Some coaches belong in the conversation of the greatest coach of all time, unfortunately, the lack of winning a championship automatically takes them out of the conversation in the minds of an average fan. However, their records speak for themselves irrespective of what anyone says.
Without further ado, here are the top 5 NBA coaches not to win a ring.
#5 Mike D'Antoni
Former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni was the architect who laid the foundations for the three-point revolution in the NBA. D'Antoni's European roots allowed him to create a system based on spreading the floor with shooters and running a high pick and roll with the point guard and big. The system had defenses scrambling while creating open looks for shooters.
It took a while before a team was willing to bet on D'Antoni's system, and fortunately, he found a willing partner in Jerry Collangelo and the Phoenix Suns. This led to the birth of the famous "Seven Seconds or Less" offense, which helped the Suns reach two Western Conference Finals while also earning two MVPs for Hall-of-Famer Steve Nash.
Unfortunately, unsuccessful stints with the LA Lakers and the New York Knicks caused a dent in D'Antoni's legacy as a coach. He made a comeback with the Houston Rockets, leading them to two Western Conference Finals while also unleashing James Harden's capabilities. "The Beard" won an MVP in 2018 as he led the league in scoring, with D'Antoni's system suiting his playing style perfectly.
D'Antoni's Rockets were the only team to come close to ending the Golden State Warriors dynasty if not for an unfortunate injury to star PG Chris Paul.
Mike D'Antoni is the fifth-most winningest coach in NBA history, winning 668 regular-season games with a percentage of .561, while also winning 49 playoff games. Regrettably, his name is not on the Mount Rushmore of NBA coaches due to not winning a championship ring despite being a deserving candidate.
Steve Kerr on Mike D’Antoni’s influence in the NBA https://t.co/YsfFzdQB2p
#4 Rick Adelman
Rick Adelman is the third-most winningest coach in NBA history, leading franchises such as the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings to successful seasons despite failing to capture the ultimate prize.
Adelman was ahead of the curve in the eyes of many when it came to his offensive philosophies. He was the ultimate player-coach as he retooled and perfected his system around the personnel he had on his roster, optimizing their strengths while curtailing their weaknesses.
He is credited with revolutionizing the game with his "corner" offense and unleashing the full potential of clever passing big men such as Vlade Divac, Chris Webber and Brad Miller. Adelman's system gave his players complete freedom to read and react according to the way the defense is set up, and this boosted their confidence as they came up with awe-striking plays.
Adelman rejuvenated a stagnant game which relied on dumping the ball to the big man in the post in a slow-paced offense. He built up a storied resume with 1,042 regular-season wins at a percentage of .582, along with 79 playoff wins and two NBA Finals appearances in his 23 seasons as an NBA Head Coach.
Unfortunately, competing against multiple dynasties such as the Chuck Daly-led Bad Boy Pistons, along with the Phil Jackson-led Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, left Adelman ringless despite being one of the greatest coaches the game has ever seen.
Congratulations to former Trail Blazers coach Rick Adelman on his induction into the Naismith @Hoophall. Coach Adelman led Portland to two NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. https://t.co/N3XASCPe21
Rick Adelman remains the only coach in Sacramento Kings history to have an above .500 season, or even just 40 wins. Think about that. One coach (out of 17) in 36 years.