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NBA COACHING HISTORY

NBA coaches with the most championships

Compare championship head coaches by title count, then look up the winning coach and team for every season from 1947 through 2026. This ledger includes the three BAA championship seasons; ABA and NBL titles are excluded.

Championship coaches

39Head coaches with at least one title

Championship seasons

80Every season from 1947 through 2026

Latest listed champion

Mike BrownNew York Knicks · 2026

Coach reference checked 2026-10-08; revision dated 2026-06-14. Reference revision. Winning teams and years match our season history, corroborated against the NBA championship history on 2026-09-23. Team-year corroboration does not independently confirm the coach attribution.

Head coaches ranked by championships

Equal title totals share a rank; tied coaches are listed alphabetically. These totals count head-coaching titles only. Player, assistant-coach and executive rings are excluded.

NBA/BAA head-coaching titles through 2026
RankHead coachTitlesWinning teams and seasons
1Phil Jackson11

Chicago Bulls1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998

Los Angeles Lakers2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010

2Red Auerbach9

Boston Celtics1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966

3Gregg Popovich5

San Antonio Spurs1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014

3John Kundla5

Minneapolis Lakers1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954

3Pat Riley5

Los Angeles Lakers1982, 1985, 1987, 1988

Miami Heat2006

6Steve Kerr4

Golden State Warriors2015, 2017, 2018, 2022

7Alex Hannum2

St. Louis Hawks1958

Philadelphia 76ers1967

7Bill Russell2

Boston Celtics1968, 1969

7Chuck Daly2

Detroit Pistons1989, 1990

7Erik Spoelstra2

Miami Heat2012, 2013

7K. C. Jones2

Boston Celtics1984, 1986

7Red Holzman2

New York Knicks1970, 1973

7Rudy Tomjanovich2

Houston Rockets1994, 1995

7Tom Heinsohn2

Boston Celtics1974, 1976

15Al Attles1

Golden State Warriors1975

15Al Cervi1

Syracuse Nationals1955

15Bill Fitch1

Boston Celtics1981

15Bill Sharman1

Los Angeles Lakers1972

15Billy Cunningham1

Philadelphia 76ers1983

15Buddy Jeannette1

Baltimore Bullets1948

15Dick Motta1

Washington Bullets1978

15Doc Rivers1

Boston Celtics2008

15Edward Gottlieb1

Philadelphia Warriors1947

15Frank Vogel1

Los Angeles Lakers2020

15George Senesky1

Philadelphia Warriors1956

15Jack Ramsay1

Portland Trail Blazers1977

15Joe Mazzulla1

Boston Celtics2024

15Larry Brown1

Detroit Pistons2004

15Larry Costello1

Milwaukee Bucks1971

15Lenny Wilkens1

Seattle SuperSonics1979

15Les Harrison1

Rochester Royals1951

15Mark Daigneault1

Oklahoma City Thunder2025

15Michael Malone1

Denver Nuggets2023

15Mike Brown1

New York Knicks2026

15Mike Budenholzer1

Milwaukee Bucks2021

15Nick Nurse1

Toronto Raptors2019

15Paul Westhead1

Los Angeles Lakers1980

15Rick Carlisle1

Dallas Mavericks2011

15Tyronn Lue1

Cleveland Cavaliers2016

NBA championship coaches by year

The latest championship appears first. Team names reflect the championship season, including the Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals and other historical names.

One winning head coach per championship season
Finals yearLeagueHead coachChampionReference
2026NBAMike BrownNew York Knicks2026 Finals reference
2025NBAMark DaigneaultOklahoma City Thunder2025 Finals reference
2024NBAJoe MazzullaBoston Celtics2024 Finals reference
2023NBAMichael MaloneDenver Nuggets2023 Finals reference
2022NBASteve KerrGolden State Warriors2022 Finals reference
2021NBAMike BudenholzerMilwaukee Bucks2021 Finals reference
2020NBAFrank VogelLos Angeles Lakers2020 Finals reference
2019NBANick NurseToronto Raptors2019 Finals reference
2018NBASteve KerrGolden State Warriors2018 Finals reference
2017NBASteve KerrGolden State Warriors2017 Finals reference
2016NBATyronn LueCleveland Cavaliers2016 Finals reference
2015NBASteve KerrGolden State Warriors2015 Finals reference
2014NBAGregg PopovichSan Antonio Spurs2014 Finals reference
2013NBAErik SpoelstraMiami Heat2013 Finals reference
2012NBAErik SpoelstraMiami Heat2012 Finals reference
2011NBARick CarlisleDallas Mavericks2011 Finals reference
2010NBAPhil JacksonLos Angeles Lakers2010 Finals reference
2009NBAPhil JacksonLos Angeles Lakers2009 Finals reference
2008NBADoc RiversBoston Celtics2008 Finals reference
2007NBAGregg PopovichSan Antonio Spurs2007 Finals reference
2006NBAPat RileyMiami Heat2006 Finals reference
2005NBAGregg PopovichSan Antonio Spurs2005 Finals reference
2004NBALarry BrownDetroit Pistons2004 Finals reference
2003NBAGregg PopovichSan Antonio Spurs2003 Finals reference
2002NBAPhil JacksonLos Angeles Lakers2002 Finals reference
2001NBAPhil JacksonLos Angeles Lakers2001 Finals reference
2000NBAPhil JacksonLos Angeles Lakers2000 Finals reference
1999NBAGregg PopovichSan Antonio Spurs1999 Finals reference
1998NBAPhil JacksonChicago Bulls1998 Finals reference
1997NBAPhil JacksonChicago Bulls1997 Finals reference
1996NBAPhil JacksonChicago Bulls1996 Finals reference
1995NBARudy TomjanovichHouston Rockets1995 Finals reference
1994NBARudy TomjanovichHouston Rockets1994 Finals reference
1993NBAPhil JacksonChicago Bulls1993 Finals reference
1992NBAPhil JacksonChicago Bulls1992 Finals reference
1991NBAPhil JacksonChicago Bulls1991 Finals reference
1990NBAChuck DalyDetroit Pistons1990 Finals reference
1989NBAChuck DalyDetroit Pistons1989 Finals reference
1988NBAPat RileyLos Angeles Lakers1988 Finals reference
1987NBAPat RileyLos Angeles Lakers1987 Finals reference
1986NBAK. C. JonesBoston Celtics1986 Finals reference
1985NBAPat RileyLos Angeles Lakers1985 Finals reference
1984NBAK. C. JonesBoston Celtics1984 Finals reference
1983NBABilly CunninghamPhiladelphia 76ers1983 Finals reference
1982NBAPat RileyLos Angeles Lakers1982 Finals reference
1981NBABill FitchBoston Celtics1981 Finals reference
1980NBAPaul WestheadLos Angeles Lakers1980 Finals reference
1979NBALenny WilkensSeattle SuperSonics1979 Finals reference
1978NBADick MottaWashington Bullets1978 Finals reference
1977NBAJack RamsayPortland Trail Blazers1977 Finals reference
1976NBATom HeinsohnBoston Celtics1976 Finals reference
1975NBAAl AttlesGolden State Warriors1975 Finals reference
1974NBATom HeinsohnBoston Celtics1974 Finals reference
1973NBARed HolzmanNew York Knicks1973 Finals reference
1972NBABill SharmanLos Angeles Lakers1972 Finals reference
1971NBALarry CostelloMilwaukee Bucks1971 Finals reference
1970NBARed HolzmanNew York Knicks1970 Finals reference
1969NBABill RussellBoston Celtics1969 Finals reference
1968NBABill RussellBoston Celtics1968 Finals reference
1967NBAAlex HannumPhiladelphia 76ers1967 Finals reference
1966NBARed AuerbachBoston Celtics1966 Finals reference
1965NBARed AuerbachBoston Celtics1965 Finals reference
1964NBARed AuerbachBoston Celtics1964 Finals reference
1963NBARed AuerbachBoston Celtics1963 Finals reference
1962NBARed AuerbachBoston Celtics1962 Finals reference
1961NBARed AuerbachBoston Celtics1961 Finals reference
1960NBARed AuerbachBoston Celtics1960 Finals reference
1959NBARed AuerbachBoston Celtics1959 Finals reference
1958NBAAlex HannumSt. Louis Hawks1958 Finals reference
1957NBARed AuerbachBoston Celtics1957 Finals reference
1956NBAGeorge SeneskyPhiladelphia Warriors1956 Finals reference
1955NBAAl CerviSyracuse Nationals1955 Finals reference
1954NBAJohn KundlaMinneapolis Lakers1954 Finals reference
1953NBAJohn KundlaMinneapolis Lakers1953 Finals reference
1952NBAJohn KundlaMinneapolis Lakers1952 Finals reference
1951NBALes HarrisonRochester Royals1951 Finals reference
1950NBAJohn KundlaMinneapolis Lakers1950 Finals reference
1949BAAJohn KundlaMinneapolis Lakers1949 Finals reference
1948BAABuddy JeannetteBaltimore Bullets1948 Finals reference
1947BAAEdward GottliebPhiladelphia Warriors1947 Finals reference

Explore the dated NBA head coach directory, coaches by age and Coach of the Year winners.

Questions about championship coaches

Which NBA coach has the most championships?
Phil Jackson leads the listed NBA/BAA head-coaching championship totals with 11 titles through 2026.
How many head coaches have won an NBA championship?
39 head coaches appear across 80 NBA/BAA championship seasons from 1947 through 2026. Each season is counted once.
Who coached the latest NBA champions?
Mike Brown coached the New York Knicks to the 2026 championship in this source edition.
Do these totals include BAA, ABA or NBL championships?
The totals include the 1947, 1948 and 1949 BAA championships, followed by NBA championships from 1950. ABA and NBL championships are excluded.
Are player and assistant-coach rings included?
No. These are championship seasons credited to head coaches. Rings won as a player, assistant coach or executive are not added.