Erik Spoelstra continues to climb his way up the all-time wins leaderboard as he establishes himself as one of the greatest NBA head coaches of all-time. He has been the head coach of the Miami Heat since 2009, when he was hand-picked by the legendary Pat Riley – who now serves as the team’s President.
Spoelstra’s NBA career began in 1995 when he was hired as the Heat’s video coordinator – around the same time Riley became head coach of the team. While Riley originally wanted to bring his own video coordinator, the team wouldn’t allow it and, as a result, Spoelstra kept his job and climbed the ranks.
Over the next 14 years, Spoelstra served as video coordinator, assistant coach, advance scout, and director of scouting – eventually winning his first NBA championship as an assistant coach with the team in 2006. Three years later, in 2009, Spoelstra succeeded Pat Riley as head coach and the rest is history!
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NBA Head Coaches With the Most Wins All-Time
With the Miami Heat beating the Philadelphia 76ers on February 27, Erik Spoelstra earned his 693rd victory as head coach – he’s currently the second-longest tenured head coach in the NBA behind Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs. Since joining the team in 2009, Spoelstra has a 693-483 record.
His win total puts him at No. 21 on the all-time leaderboard for most wins among NBA head coaches. He most recently passed Mike D’Antoni (No. 22), who has a career 672-527 record between 2009 and 2023 with the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets.
Spoelstra has led the Heat to five Eastern Conference Championships and two NBA Championships during his career as a head coach. As of March 2, he’s just four wins away from moving one spot up the all-time wins leaderboard – officially cracking the top-20. With that said, let’s meet the current top-20!
20. Red Holzman – 696 wins
Red Holzman spent 18 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1953 and 1982. He had a 613-483 record with the New York Knicks (1,096 games) and an 83-120 record with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (203 games). He was a three-time Eastern Conference Champion and two-time NBA Champion.
Holzman was named Coach of the Year during the 1969-70 season with the Knicks, leading them to a 60-22 record and his first NBA title. He was ranked in the top-5 of the Coach of the Year voting three other times, including third place in 1968-69. He was also an executive for the Knicks for six seasons.
19. John MacLeod – 707 wins
John MacLeod spent 18 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1973 and 1991. He had a 579-543 record with the Phoenix Suns (1,122 games), 96-79 record with the Dallas Mavericks (175 games), and 32-35 record with the New York Knicks (67 games). He was also an assistant coach.
MacLeod came close to winning Coach of the Year on four occasions with the Suns, including third place in 1975-76 and 1980-81. While he never won an NBA title, he led the Suns to a Western Conference Championship during the 1975-76 season, leading the team to a 42-40 regular season record that year.
18. Nate McMillan – 760 wins
Nate McMillan spent 19 seasons as a head coach between 2000 and 2023. He had a 212-183 record with the Seattle Supersonics (395 games), 266-269 record with the Portland Trail Blazers (535 games), 183-136 record with the Indiana Pacers (319 games), and 99-80 record with the Atlanta Hawks (179 games).
McMillan had his best season as a head coach in 2008-09 with the Trail Blazers, when the team went 54-28. Despite making the playoffs 11 times, he never won an NBA title or a conference championship – he came close with the Hawks in 2020-21, but he was fired from the team during the 2022-23 season.
17. Gene Shue – 784 wins
Gene Shue spent 22 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1966 and 1989. He had a 522-505 record with the Baltimore/Washington Bullets (1,027 games), 157-177 record with the Philadelphia 76ers (334 games), and 105-179 record with the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers (284 games).
Shue was a two-time Coach of the Year winner – in 1968-69 when he led the Bullets to a 57-25 record and in 1981-82 when he led the Bullets to a 43-39 record. He was also a two-time Eastern Conference Champion – with the 76ers in 1976-77 and with the Bullets in 1970-71. He was COY runner-up twice.
16. Cotton Fitzsimmons – 832 wins
Cotton Fitzsimmons spent 21 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1970 and 1997 with the Suns, Hawks, Braves, Kings, and Spurs. He retired with an 832-775 record (.518) in 1,607 regular season games coached and a 35-49 record (.417) in 84 playoff games coached. He’s now in the Hall of Fame.
Fitzsimmons was a two-time Coach of the Year winner – in 1978-79 after leading the Kansas City Kings to a 48-34 record and in 1988-89 after leading the Phoenix Suns to a 55-27 record. He was also a Coach of the Year runner-up in 1982-83 with the Kings and a four-time Coach of the Month winner.
15. Jack Ramsay – 864 wins
Jack Ramsay spent 21 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1968 and 1989 with the 76ers, Braves, Trail Blazers, and Pacers. He retired with an 864-783 record (.525) in 1,647 regular season games coached and a 44-58 record (.431) in 102 playoff games coached. He’s now in the Hall of Fame.
Ramsay never won NBA Coach of the Year, but was a runner-up twice and finished in the top-10 a total of 11 times in his career. He won his lone NBA title with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1976-77 after going 49-33 in the regular season and 14-5 in the playoffs. He was named Coach of the Month in 1983-84.
14. Rick Carlisle – 889 wins (and counting)
Rick Carlisle is currently in his 21st season as a head coach in the NBA and second season as head coach of the Indiana Pacers. He has an 889-781 record (.532) in 1,670 regular season games coached and a 63-70 record (.474) in 133 playoff games coached. He also coached the Mavericks and Pistons.
Carlisle led the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA Championship during the 2010-11 season after leading the team to a 57-25 record in the regular season and a 16-5 record in the playoffs. He won Coach of the Year with the Detroit Pistons in 2001-02 and was a runner-up for the award in 2004-05 with the Pacers.
13. Dick Motta – 935 wins
Dick Motta spent 25 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1968 and 1997 with the Bulls, Bullets, Mavericks, Kings, and Nuggets. He retired with a 935-1,017 record (.479) in 1,952 regular season games and a 56-70 record (.444) in 126 playoff games. He was also an executive for the Chicago Bulls.
Motta led the Washington Bullets to two Eastern Conference Championships and one NBA title in 1977-78 after leading the team to a 44-38 record in the regular season and a 14-7 record in the playoffs. He was named Coach of the Year with the Bulls in 1970-71 and was a two-time Coach of the Month.
12. Red Auerbach – 938 wins
Red Auerbach spent 20 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1946 and 1966 with the Capitals, Blackhawks, and Celtics. He retired with a 938-481 record (.661) in 1,419 regular season games and a 99-69 record (.589) in 168 playoff games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach in 1969.
Auerbach coached one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history, leading the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships – including eight consecutive titles between 1959 and 1966. He was named Coach of the Year in 1964-65, was runner-up for the award in 1965-66, and was in the top-4 for voting two other times.
11. Bill Fitch – 944 wins
Bill Fitch spent 25 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1970 and 1998 with the Cavaliers, Celtics, Rockets, Nets, and Clippers. He retired with a 944-1,106 record (.460) in 2,050 regular season games and a 55-54 record (.505) in 109 playoff games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Fitch was a two-time conference champion and won the NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics in 1980-81 after leading the team to a 62-20 record in the regular season and 12-5 record in the playoffs. He was a two-time Coach of the Year – once with the Cavs in 1975-76 and again with the Celtics in 1979-80.
10. Rick Adelman – 1,042 wins
Rick Adelman spent 23 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1988 and 2014 with the Trail Blazers, Warriors, Kings, Rockets, Timberwolves. He retired with a 1,042-749 record (.582) in 1,791 regular season games and a 79-78 record (.503) in 157 playoff games. He’s now in the Hall of Fame.
Adelman was a two-time Western Conference Champion with the Portland Trail Blazers, but failed to win a title both seasons. While he never won a Coach of the Year Award, he was runner-up on four occasions and came in third place on two occasions. He was also a four-time Coach of the Month winner.
9. Doc Rivers – 1,083 wins (and counting)
Doc Rivers is currently in his 24th season as a head coach in the NBA and third season as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. He has a 1,083-756 record (.589) in 1,839 regular season games and a 104-100 record (.510) in 204 playoff games. He was also head coach of the Magic, Clippers, and Celtics.
Rivers is a two-time Eastern Conference Champion with the Boston Celtics and led them to an NBA title in 2007-08 after going 66-16 in the regular season and 16-10 in the playoffs. He was also named the Coach of the Year in 1999-00 with the Orlando Magic – his first ever season as a head coach in the NBA.
8. Larry Brown – 1,098 wins
Larry Brown spent 31 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1972 and 2011 with the Cougars, Nuggets, Nets, Spurs, Pacers, Clippers, 76ers, Pistons, Knicks, and Hornets. He had a 1,327-1,011 record (.568) in 2,338 career regular season games and a 120-115 (.511) in 235 career playoff games.
Brown went most of his career without winning a conference championship or title, but ended up winning three Eastern Conference Championships and one NBA title towards the end of his career. He was a three-time ABA Coach of the Year and one-time NBA Coach of the Year – as well as runner-up once.
7. Phil Jackson – 1,155
Phil Jackson spent 20 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1989 and 2011 with the Bulls and Lakers – he coached both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. He retired with a 1,155-485 record (.704) in 1,640 career regular season games and a 229-104 record (.688) in 333 career playoff games.
Jackson was known for consistently keeping his teams in the hunt for a title. He won 11 titles – which included three separate three-peats – and made it to the NBA Finals on two other occasions. He won Coach of the Year in 1995-96 with the Chicago Bulls after leading the team to a 72-10 record and a title.
6. George Karl – 1,175 wins
George Karl spent 27 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1984 and 2016 with the Cavaliers, Warriors, Supersonics, Bucks, Nuggets, and Kings. He retired with a 1,175-824 record (.588) in 1,999 regular season games and an 80-105 record (.432) in 185 playoff games. He’s now in the Hall of Fame.
Karl never won a title as a head coach, but he did lead the Seattle Supersonics to Western Conference Championship in 1995-96 after going 64-18 in the regular season and 13-8 in the playoffs. He was named Coach of the Year in 2012-13 with the Denver Nuggets, coaching them to a 57-25 regular season record.
5. Pat Riley – 1,210 wins
Pat Riley spent 24 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1981 and 2008 with the Lakers, Knicks, and Heat. He retired with a 1,210-694 record (.636) in 1,904 regular season games and a 171-111 record (.606) in 282 playoff games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a head coach after retiring in 2008.
Riley was a five-time NBA champion and made it to the NBA Finals on four other occasions. He led the Lakers to four straight NBA Finals’ appearances and two titles in his first four years as head coach. He was also named Coach of the Year on three occasions and was named runner-up for the award twice.
4. Jerry Sloan – 1,221 wins
Jerry Sloan spent 26 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1979 and 2011 with the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz. He retired with a 1,221-803 record (.603) in 2,024 regular season games and 98-104 (.485) in 202 playoff games. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a head coach in 2009.
Sloan led the Utah Jazz to back-to-back Western Conference Championships in 1996-97 and 1997-98 – the team went 126-38 in the regular season and 26-14 in the playoffs during those two years, but couldn’t win a title. He was never named Coach of the Year, but he was named the runner-up on three occasions.
3. Lenny Wilkens – 1,332 wins
Lenny Wilkens spent 32 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1969 and 2005 with the Trail Blazers, Supersonics, Cavaliers, Hawks, Raptors, and Knicks. He retired with a 1,332-1,155 career record (.536) in 2,487 regular season games and an 80-98 career record (.449) in 178 playoff games.
Wilkens led the Seattle Supersonics to back-to-back Western Conference Championships in 1977-78 and 1978-79 – ultimately leading the team to an NBA Championship in 1978-79. He was named Coach of the Year in 1993-94 with the Atlanta Hawks and was also runner-up for the award in 1977-78 with Seattle.
2. Don Nelson – 1,335 wins
Don Nelson spent 31 seasons as a head coach in the NBA between 1976 and 2010 with the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks, and Mavericks. He retired with a 1,335-1,063 record (.557) in 2,398 regular season games and a 75-91 record (.452) in 166 playoff games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Nelson never won a conference championship or NBA title, but led his teams to at least 50 wins on 13 occasions – including two 60-win seasons. He was a three-time Coach of the Year in 1982-83, 1984-85, and 1991-92 – twice with the Bucks and once with the Warriors. He was also runner-up in 1988-89.
1. Gregg Popovich – 1,359 wins (and counting)
Gregg Popovich is currently in his 27th season as a head coach in the NBA – all of which have been spent with the San Antonio Spurs. Since 1996-97, he has led the team to a 1,359-748 record (.645) in 2,107 regular season games and a 170-114 record (.599) in 284 playoff games. He’s a legend.
Popovich has led the Spurs to six Western Conference Championships and five NBA Championships during his career – including three titles in a span of five years. He’s a three-time Coach of the Year winner and will continue to add to his total, though you have to think retirement is around the corner.
NBA Head Coaches Climbing the Leaderboard
Erik Spoelstra will continue to climb this list in the coming years – as one of the best NBA head coaches today, I doubt he’s going anywhere. We can also expect Rick Carlisle and Doc Rivers to continue climbing, but who knows how much longer they stick around. It’ll be interesting to see how far they get!
With that said, there are several other active NBA head coaches who very well could find themselves in the top-20 someday – for example, Mike Budenholzer (471 wins) of the Milwaukee Bucks, Steve Kerr (461 wins) of the Golden State Warriors, and Michael Malone (397 wins) of the Denver Nuggets.
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Other NBA head coaches to keep an eye on include Tom Thibodeau (467 wins) of the New York Knicks, Quin Snyder (372 wins) of the Atlanta Hawks, Monty Williams (356 wins) of the Phoenix Suns, Billy Donovan (349 wins) of the Chicago Bulls, and Steve Clifford (312 wins) of the Charlotte Hornets.
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