http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/3764394 NBA's top all-time coaches Story Tools: Print Email XML Charley Rosen / FOXSports.com Posted: 6 hours ago Contrary to popular belief, NBA coaches are miles ahead of their undergraduate brethren. The huge difference in the level of talent alone creates unique complications and possibilities: The playbook of the average NBA team is at least five times thicker. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird ... Charley Rosen ranks the NBA's best players ever position by position. Power forwards | Small forwards Point guards | Shooting guards Centers | Sixth men | Coaches NBA scouting reports and game videos also breed unparalleled familiarity. NBA players often remain with the same team longer than do college players. There's less practice time in the pros. More traveling. Better officiating. Fewer patsies on the schedule. Much more money (most of it guaranteed). More publicity. The wonderful world of the NBA also has its share of knuckleheads, criminals and narcissists. To be a successful NBA coach is an incredible accomplishment, while most NBA coaches could probably coach college games from a rocking chair. Aside from an abiding technical knowledge of the game, the superior NBA coach must be able to communicate with his players without creating undue stress. If he never lies to them (because players always know when their coach is fibbing, and vice versa), he must be able to deliver only as much of the truth as is useful. He must respect his players and be respected by them. He must understand that fans pay to see players play, not coaches coach. And he must push himself harder than his hardest-working player. Good coaches can make a difference and so can bad coaches. But even the best coaches can be stymied by having inferior players. Despite that fact, the good coaches tend to get the best jobs, and bad coaches usually wind up with the worst jobs. So the following ratings are not totally dependent on playoff appearances or championships won. No. 1 — PHIL JACKSON One of the most difficult tasks for any coach is to win when he's supposed to win. There is minimal pressure on coaches of sad-sack and mediocre teams to win championships, but woe to the favorite who flops before the finish line. Phil Jackson realizes the coach is essentially an outsider, a civilian who comes to games dressed in a jacket and necktie. (Lisa Blumenfeld / Getty Images) Why? Outstanding teams generally feature players who possess the most colossal egos because even the league's lowliest teams get up to play an elite opponent. And because players with talent to spare often tend to play light-switch basketball — thinking they can cruise through major portions of a game and then turn on their star-power in the end. Phil Jackson has surmounted these front-running difficulties at least nine times. But to say that he won only because he had the likes of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaq and Kobe is far from the truth. The telling statistic here is that Shaq and MJ had each been ring-less in the league for six years prior to PJ coming to town. In truth, Jackson is the best closer ever — the Mariano Rivera of the NBA. He succeeds because his system, the triangle, is flawless when the players are in synch. And because he can convince the vast majority of his players that the personal sacrifices necessary for the triangle to succeed will benefit everyone. The only players who have resisted Jackson's geometric arguments have been Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice. But there's much more than Xs and Os involved in Jackson's stunning successes. He also realizes that the coach is essentially an outsider, a civilian who comes to games dressed in a jacket and necktie. That's why discipline and motivation must ultimately be generated by the players themselves. And that's Jackson's game plan — to create an environment where the players can form and police their own community. And that's why critics who say that Jackson is a do-nothing coach can't tell a speed cut from pinch-post. No. 2 — RED AUERBACH Red Auerbach owed much of the credit for his coaching achievements to the ministrations of Red Auerbach in his other guise as the Celtic in charge of basketball operations. Indeed, it was Auerbach's trading of Cliff Hagen and Ed Macauley for Bill Russell in 1956 that ignited the Celtics' unsurpassable mastery of the NBA — 11 championships in the next 13 seasons. Auerbach was also the prime mover in the Celtics' trading Joe Barry Carroll for Robert Parish, in drafting John Havlicek and Kevin McHale and in picking Larry Bird when he was draft-eligible after his junior year at Indiana State. Red Auerbach's genius emerged when he stole Bill Russell from the St. Louis Hawks. (Neil Leifer / FOXSports.com) Motivating players was much easier in Auerbach's Boston tenure (1950-1966) only because if they missed out on playoff dividends, players had to find tiresome summer employment. Even so, he was always concerned with team chemistry, and Auerbach always did a masterful job of finding the perfect player to fit whatever role the Celtics required to maintain their dynasty. His Redness also made it quite clear exactly what each player was supposed to accomplish. From setting picks, filling fast break lanes, playing rugged defense, rebounding, passing, delivering sternum smashes to being in the right place at the right time. Every aspect of the game had its designated practitioner. But Auerbach's genius emerged totally after stealing Russell from the St. Louis Hawks: The 24-second shot clock was installed for the 1954-55 season, but none of the contemporary coaches knew what adjustments should be made. For the most part, the procedure was to run the same offenses (and defenses) that preceded the clock, and some players would hurry up and launch shots whenever the clock was set to detonate. Auerbach, however, instituted the modern game — on defense, that meant funneling the ball into Russell, then turning the resultant blocked shots, steals and rebounds into up-tempo offense. Sure, Auerbach was obnoxious, with his victory cigars, incessant baiting of the refs and clogged toilets in the visitors' locker rooms prearranged to annoy and distract opponents. But he created advantages out of nothing. There'll never be another coach quite like Auerbach. No. 3 — RED HOLZMAN Red Holzman practiced what he preached — teamwork, trust, the accumulation of details and resourcefulness in the clutch. Even when the Knicks' game plan was to always hit the open man, Holzman was forever undercover. He never said anything meaningful to create any kind of ruckus in the media. He took no credit, but assumed all the blame. Here's your chance to fire back at Charley Rosen. Got a question or a comment? Submit it below and Charley will respond to the best ones in regular mailbag features. Subject: Comment/Question: Name: (ex, john doe) Email: (ex, a@b.c) Hometown: Holzman's Knicks played ferocious defense, frequently played topsy-turvy basketball (posting the guards, Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe, while Dave DeBusschere and Jerry Lucas fired away from the next time zone), led the league in three-quarter-court presses and pioneered the utilization of a pressing-trapping second unit. Holzman also believed that role players were extremely valuable. He went so far as to use Mike Riordan as the team's designated fouler. During timeouts, Holzman routinely asked his players what was going on out there and what plays they thought would be appropriate. However, only the Knicks' veterans dared to voice their opinions. Holzman never did trust rookies. A master psychologist, Holzman also knew when to kick a butt and when to pat a back. He was a wizened, shabbily-dressed and vastly underrated genius who shunned the spotlight. In his own quiet and self-deprecating fashion, Holzman inspired the unbridled respect of his peers and the run-through-a-wall loyalty of his players. No. 4 — PAT RILEY In addition to being one of the most successful coaches in NBA history, Pat Riley was also one of the most flexible. His teams were always immaculately prepared for every ball game, and in Los Angeles, he just wound his guys up and let them go. His strategies never got in the way of the likes of Magic, Kareem, Big Game James and Silk. But the Showtime Lakers' early offense was the most intricate and explosive in the league. Despite that fact, Riley's colossal ego insisted on taking more credit for the Lakers' perpetual successes than the players were willing to yield. The result was an exit stage left for Mister Hollywood Slick. When he moved on to New York, Riley changed his game plan and the Knicks were fashioned in the image of the Detroit Bad Boys. Smash-mouth defense. Hard fouls delivered early, late and always. Mayhem in the paint. And a tongue-lashing and $2,000 fine for any Knick who lent a hand to help a fallen foe to his feet! Riley likewise changed his look in the Big Apple, filling his closets with Armani suits, and he was more dapper and sophisticated than thou. In Miami, Riley inherited a ball club that couldn't score with a pencil. So he slowed the game down to a painful crawl, had his players assault both backboards and play vicious defense. The rumor out of Miami is that Riley has also taken to wearing plaid Bermuda shorts, calf-high support-hose and frequenting only those restaurants that offer early-bird specials. No. 5 — LENNY WILKENS Lenny Wilkens coached the way he played — suave, dignified and effective. (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images) Lenny Wilkens coached the way he played — suave, dignified and as effective as a silent stiletto. In his hey day with Seattle and Cleveland, Wilkens' offenses were things of beauty. The spacing discouraged double-teams. The off-the-ball movement was crisp and productive. His players' talents were maximized and their deficiencies were minimized. But Lenny's strategies required a certain degree of sophistication from his players. That's why green-horns were always glued to the bench. But as the league became younger it seemed the players' basketball IQs weren't up to par. Wilkens struggled to maintain the required level of necessary communication. The very last resort in his wonderfully orchestrated offenses was usually some kind of screen-and-roll. In Atlanta, however, his young charges habitually went to the S/R as their first option. From that point on, Wilkens was mostly reduced to being a relic of the NBA's glory days. In Toronto, he tried motivating his players by using Bob Pettit as an example of toughness and grit. But some Raptors may not have even known who Wilkens was talking about. The only "Pettitte" many of them had probably ever heard of pitched for the New York Yankees. By the time Wilkens arrived in New York, he'd totally lost his edge. Ah, but in the blessed springtime of his coaching career, Lenny Wilkens was the cream of the crop. No. 6 — GREGG POPOVICH Tough love is Pop's modus operandi. Not to mention recognizing and nurturing talent that fits his system. Planning for the future. Making uncanny between and in-game adjustments. Walking the fine line between being passionately involved in the action and maintaining an objective distance. And never getting trumped in game-time matchups. Nor does Popovich suffer fools gladly. Yes, he can be patient with young bucks like Tony Parker, but an overly prolonged apprenticeship results in bench-time and face-to-face scoldings. His teams showcase the quickest defensive rotations in recent memory, along with the ability to play any kind of tempo. Moreover, his players hang on his every word and are always willing to go to war for him. That's because honesty is Popovich's only policy. No. 7 — BILL SHARMAN Bill Sharman's influence is still felt in the NBA. His development of the game-day shoot around was directly responsible for improving the overall quality of play. By having to get out of bed, running up and down the court to work up a light sweat and be able to walk through the scouting report for the upcoming opponent, players have generally been more focused, alert and more familiar with the hows and whys of their next matchup. Also, by making gross adjustments during the shoot around, coaches were able to make much more subtle adjustments during the subsequent game. Besides this radical innovation, Sharman forced his players to pay meticulous attention to every detail, every play and every possibility. He led the decidedly mediocre San Francisco Warriors into the finals in 1967, then did a masterful job with the 1971-72 L.A. Lakers — a team whose most recent coach (Joe Mullany) had been dismissed as being old and selfish. Sharman, however, forced Elgin Baylor into retirement and convinced the rest of the over-the-hill-gang to run all season long. The Lakers proceeded to run their way to a record 33-game win streak and a championship. Sharman's prowess as a master psychologist was demonstrated by his being able to somehow convince the 35-year-old Wilt Chamberlain to play like Bill Russell. Jack Ramsay was always able to get the best out of his players. (Jim Cummins / Getty Images) No. 8 — JACK RAMSAY Dr. Jack's 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers were perhaps the most disciplined NBA team ever. Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas, Lionel Hollins, Bobby Gross, Larry Steele, Dave Twardzik, Herm Gilliam, Johnny Davis and Lloyd Neal teamed up like they'd been playing together all their lives. Every move was perfectly choreographed by Ramsay. Every player was eager to sublimate his own personal glory for the good of the team. Throughout his coaching career, Ramsay was always able to get the best out of his players. And he proved again and again that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. No. 9 — ALEX HANNUM During his nine-year playing career, Hannum was a tough guy. He valued setting devastating screens more than he valued scoring points. Defense was more important than offense. And all-out hustle was the norm. The teams he coached — St. Louis, Syracuse, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and San Diego — were fashioned in his image. His championship 1966-67 Sixers were arguably the best of all time, but they were certainly the most powerful: Wilt in his prime, Lucious Jackson, Chet Walker, Dave Gambee. They made every foul a painful experience, loosened opponents' dental filings with their hearty screens, and savagely attacked the basket. It was Hannum's killer-eyed toughness that settled Chamberlain — by shoving Wilt into a locker and threatening to kick his butt unless he played the game according to Hannum's dictates. Forget about Hannum's successful seasons, any coach who could back down the Biggest Dipper deserves to be ranked among the elite. No. 10 — LARRY BROWN Larry "Get Out of Town" Brown is the Billy Martin of NBA coaches. A quick fix whose incessant yipping, nagging, hogging of the spotlight and yearning to venture into greener pastures sooner rather than later manages to alienate his players. There's no questioning Brown's ability to rev up a team and to devise a game plan that perfectly fits his personnel. But his I-won-they-lost attitude also undercuts his relationships with his players. On the technical side of the game, Brown tends to be so stubborn as to make poor game-to-game adjustments in playoff situations. He wonders why no one ever believes his latest pronouncements about his intentions. Larry, it's because you've told too many lies for too many years. Still, if he's here today and gone tomorrow, while he's in town, Larry Brown always makes a difference. On the cusp: Dick Motta Chuck Daley Gene Shue Charley Rosen, former CBA coach, author of 12 books about hoops, the current one being A pivotal season — How the 1971-72 L.A. Lakers changed the NBA, is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com.
Jackson being first is a joke. I could coach Michael Jordan or a nonfeuding Shaq and Kobe in their primes to a championship. Let's see how well he does this coming season. Not that he didn't have great players, but Auerbach should be on top. I like Riley better as well.
NBA's worst all-time columnists In no particular order: Chad Ford Peter Vecsey Charley Rosen Bill "The Rocket Guy" Ingram (actually doesn't even qualify as a "columnist")
I was wondering if Rosen was really going to have the stones to put Jackson first. He doesn't even try to hide his status as ass-licker. Sure it's the least he can do when Jackson is the only reason Rosen has anything to write about, but was it worth throwing what little was left of his credibility away? Evan
You're crazy. I don't remember Dell Harris coaching Kobe and Shaq to a championship. Sure, Phil has had talent around him, but the way he gets that talent to respect and listen to him is why he is #1. Plus the triangle is very complex.
Funny how Phil Jackson gets bashed around here for having Jordan, Shaq, and Kobe, yet people conveniently forget that Aeurbach had as many as eight hall of famers on his Celtic teams. Personally, I always thought that Lenny Wilkens was a little overrated. He just managed to stick around for a long time because of his legacy.
1. Red Auerbach I like Pat Riley style, and why he dont mention Rudy T. I dont like Phil Jackson the only thing he can do is getting the best players
That's because Red Auerbach was the one who acquired those Hall of Famers for the Celtics - and Jackson was not the one who acquired those players for his teams. Slight difference.
Depends on what you think the responsibilities of a coach should be. If I have two coaches who are roughly equal with on-court stuff, but one is a brilliant off-court mind and can build a championship team as well as coach one - I think he makes the better coach. EDIT: Besides, that really wasn't the point of my reply. The question was why do one coach's accomplishments get lessened in some people's eyes because he coached great players - and the other coach's accomplishments do not. To which I responded - Because acquiring those great players was a part of the other coach's accomplishments, and not a part of the first one.
And yet it is still two completely different professions. Rick Carlisle and Doc Rivers are both coaches, but Rivers was three times the player Carlisle was -- does that make him a better coach? Phil Jackson is obviously well-read and can quote Black Elk quicker than Red could -- does that make him a better coach? It makes him a better candidate for a night school literature prof., but it has no bearing on his on-court abilities. EDIT IN RESPONSE TO YOUR EDIT: Ok, I grok. Because Red's acumen as a GM certainly doesn't him make him a better coach then Phil Jackson, just as Phil's talent as an NBA player doesn't make him a better coach then Red Auerbach.
Rudy would have made it on there except for his melt-down last year with the Lakers. Shot his credibility to hell.
I don't think so. With Phil being the exception, I think longevity counts for alot, as well as adaptation to different personnel on the court. In that, I think Riley definitely deserves to be up there. He had success, over a long period of time, using two VERY different styles (showtime Lakers vs. grind it out Knicks). To me, thats the sign of a great coach, one that can adapt to the players around him to make his team win.
