NBA coaches play an important role from the sidelines. They set the team culture as well as the team’s game plan. Recently, more and more players are contributing to the game as NBA head coaches.
These days, teams have hired former players such as Tyronn LueChauncey Billups, Jason Kidd, and JJ Redick, most recent Former player who became an NBA head coach. Here are the 10 best former players turned NBA coaches, ranked.
10. Bill Russell
Bill Russell is mostly remembered for being the centerpiece of the Boston Celtics dynasty from the 50s to the 60s. During the latter part of his Celtics days, Russell actually became a player-coach. As coach of the Celtics, Russell won consecutive NBA championships. Overall, Russell won 13 NBA championships in his career.
9. Larry Bird
Like Russell, Larry Bird also has a lot of history with the Celtics. He led the Celtics to multiple Finals appearances, resulting in three NBA Championships and a pair of Finals MVPs. But after hanging up his sneakers, Bird tried his hand as the head coach of the Indiana Pacers.
In the 1997–1998 season, Bird led the Pacers to a 58–24 record and the Eastern Conference Finals, where they defeated the Chicago Bulls in seven games. For his efforts, Bird won the NBA Coach of the Year award. During the same year, he was also named head coach of the All-Star Game.
8. Tommy Heinsohn
Like the previously mentioned coaches, Tommy Heinsohn was also part of a Celtics dynasty, winning eight NBA championships in his career. After spending 10 seasons as a player, Heinsohn was selected as head coach of the Celtics.
With Heinsohn taking over the coaching reins, he won NBA Coach of the Year in 1973 and then extended the Celtics dynasty by winning two more NBA titles as coach.
7. Don Nelson
Don Nelson was also a part of the Celtics team that won multiple NBA titles in the 60s. In fact, Nelson won five NBA championships as a player, all in a Celtics uniform.
After retiring as a player, Nelson understood the game well enough to coach in the NBA. The five-time NBA champion won three NBA Coach of the Year awards with the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors. he is also second all time Winning in the NBA while coaching.
Doc Rivers had four stopovers in the NBA as a player, suiting up for the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, and San Antonio Spurs. His best year came in 1988 when he was named an All-Star.
But after hanging up his sneakers, Rivers tried his hand at coaching. He led the Orlando Magic to a 41–41 record in the 1999–2000 season and was named NBA Coach of the Year. Eight years later, he led the Celtics to the franchise’s 17th NBA title. He is currently the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.
5. Tyronn Lue
Tyronn Lue is remembered by NBA fans as the player who received Allen Iverson’s humiliating move in the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. However, Lue won two NBA championships with the Purple and Gold during their three-peat run.
After ending his playing career, Lue received his first head-coaching opportunity when the Cleveland Cavaliers fired David Blatt midway through the 2015–2016 season. As coach, Lue led the Cavs to the franchise’s first NBA championship by comeback from a 3–1 Finals series deficit against the 73–9 Golden State Warriors. He is currently the coach of the Los Angeles Clippers.
4. Lenny Wilkens
As a player, Lenny Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star and even led the NBA in assists at one point in his career. After finishing his career with the Portland Trail Blazers, Wilkens tried his hand as a coach.
In 1979, he led the Seattle SuperSonics to the franchise’s first and only NBA championship. Fifteen years later, Wilkens won his first and only NBA Coach of the Year award with the Atlanta Hawks. He is third in coaching wins, just three wins behind Nelson.
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3. Pat Riley
While Pat Riley is more popular these days as an executive for the Miami Heat, he has had considerable success as both a player and coach. As a player, he won an NBA championship with the Showtime Lakers in 1972. Riley had more success as a coach, winning five NBA championships and three Coach of the Year awards with the Lakers and Heat, finishing fifth in wins overall.
Speaking of success as both a player and a coach, Steve Kerr has been involved in several championship teams, whether as a player or as a coach. As a player, he made his way to five NBA championships with two different franchises in the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs.
As a coach, Kerr is in his 11th season as head coach of the Golden State Warriors and has continued his winning ways by leading the Warriors dynasty to four NBA Championships and six Finals appearances.
1. Phil Jackson
As a player, Phil Jackson’s greatest accomplishment saw him win two NBA championships with the New York Knicks. While he was not really remembered as a player, Jackson was dominant as a head coach.
When the Chicago Bulls won two sets of three-peats, they swept the Los Angeles Lakers before giving them the lead in the three-peat. Additionally, he won two more NBA championships as a coach with the Lakers during the Kobe Bryant era. Jackson is also an NBA Coach of the Year winner.
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