NBA Coaches With the Most Titles

Winning an NBA championship is one of the greatest achievements in professional sport. NBA players compete across a grueling 82 game regular season before the playoffs begin. If they make it to the playoffs, several more rounds of matches await them before reaching the finals. The biggest names in the game headline the teams that make it to the finals, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, and Lebron James. As such it’s not surprising these players get most of the attention from the media and fans alike.

However, NBA coaches are often critical to determining whether a team exits in the first round of the playoffs or makes it to the finals. The NBA finals rank just behind the Super Bowl and March Madness as the most popular events covered on online sportsbooks. While checking the NBA finals odds on Fanduel Sportsbook is an excellent way to learn about your favorite team’s chances of making it to the championship round, looking at the head coach will tell you a lot too. As the NBA inches closer to the playoffs, now’s a good time to look at the NBA coaches with the most titles under their belt.

1. Phil Jackson

With 11 championships to his name, Phil Jackson has won more titles than any other coach in NBA history. Some of the best players in the game have helped him along the way, including Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Scottie Pippen. However, coaching some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game doesn’t take away from Jackson’s own accomplishments.

Jackson worked his magic by effectively managing some of the biggest egos in the league. He coached the Bulls to their famous 3-peats from 1991 to 1993, and 1996 to 1998, winning six titles with the team. He continued his record run as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers from 1999 to 2004, and 2005 to 2011, winning another five titles. Jackson retired from coaching in 2011, and the league named him one of the 15 greatest coaches in NBA history as part of its 75th Anniversary Season celebrations on February 22, 2022.

2. Arnold ‘Red’ Auerbach

The “Godfather of the NBA,” Red Auerbach, coached the Boston Celtics teams that dominated the NBA during the 1950s and 1960s. Auerbach spent over 30 years in Boston as the Celtics head coach and an executive, coaching the team to nine championships, including an unprecedented eight consecutive titles between 1959 and 1966. This is a record that still stands today.

During his time as the Celtics head coach, he had a record of 823-426 with a .659 winning percentage. His playoff record was 91-60 with a .603 winning percentage. Drafting Bill Russel in 1956 was one of the keys to the Celtics’ success. Under Auerbach’s leadership, Russell became one of the greatest players in NBA history. Auerbach won coach of the year in 1965 and was inducted into the hall of fame in 1969.

3. John Kundla

Before the Lakers moved to Los Angeles, John Kundla led the Minneapolis Lakers to five titles from 1949 to 1954. These were the NBA’s early days, and the Lakers dominated the league thanks to Kundla’s leadership. Hall of Famers Jim Pollard, George Mikan, and most famously Elgin Baylor, were among the superstars he coached during his time at the helm. He was the first coach of an NBA dynasty and ended his coaching career with a 423-302 record.

4. Gregg Popovich

With five NBA titles under the belt, Gregg Popovich is the most decorated coach currently in the NBA. He’s coached the San Antonio Spurs since 1996 and is the longest-serving active coach in the NBA and all US major sports leagues. He’s had an impressive tenure with the Spurs, leading them to NBA championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014 respectively.

Under his leadership, the Spurs haven’t missed the playoffs since 1996. Although hall of Famer Tim Duncan played a prominent role in the Spurs’ successful championship runs, many credit Popovich’s system for the team’s ongoing successes.