Milan is our dedicated sports writer with more than seven years of relevant experience. He combined his passion for sports like basketball, football, and MMA with content creation and became a top-of-the-line sports blog writer. Apart from writing articles related to sports, Milan enjoys a good workout session at the gym.
Unfortunate events happened where MMA fighters died fighting in the ring. These deaths didn’t happen in the best fighting MMA promotion, UFC, but rather in some lower-tier MMA organizations. Even though MMA is a high-risk sport and there have been MMA deaths over the years, for instance, more deaths have resulted in boxing matches.
Most of the deaths during the fight (MMA or in boxing matches) were a result of a complication of a KO or TKO. Sometimes, there were underlying health conditions and issues, and the punch acted as a trigger.
Back in 2007, Sam Vazquez died in Houston, Texas, as a result of complications that he got from an MMA fight in the ring. This is also the first case of a MMA death in the US.
His fatal fight happened when he was part of an event organized by the MMA promotion called Renegades Extreme Fighting. The 35-year lost via KO that night after three rounds.
Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary until Vasquez went unconscious and had to be taken to a nearby hospital. He was diagnosed with a subdural hemorrhage and underwent surgery where they had to remove a part of his skull to decrease the brain swelling. That wasn’t effective, so they put a tube in his skull so they could drain the cerebral spinal fluid, allowing the brain to swell with no extra damage.
Unfortunately, Vasquez soon fell into a coma and died two days later, on November 30th, 2007.
Tyrone Mims
Tyrone Mims, age 30, participated in an event organized by an amateur MMA promotion, Conflict MMA, at Point IV in Mount Pleasant in the state of South Carolina. The fight was held on August 11th, 2012.
Everything was going well until Mims felt uneasy in the second round. The referee stopped the fight because Tyrone couldn’t defend himself properly. The physician gave him a check-up, and Mims seemed fine, only a little fatigued. Before he entered the locker room, Mims passed out as teammates held him.
Mims was transferred to the hospital of the Medical University of South Carolina, where they declared him dead at 9:27 pm after multiple attempts to revive him. The cause of death hasn’t been discovered to this day.
Michael Kirkham
Another fighter who tragically lost his life while fighting in the MMA ring was 30-year-old Michael Kirkham. He was a part of the event organized by Dash Entertainment/King MMA in Aiken, South Carolina. Kirkham was knocked out in the first round, with this opponent, Iraburo, landing extra strikes while Michael was lying on the canvas.
Kirkham never regained consciousness after being knocked out. 48 hours later, on June 28th, 2010, doctors pronounced him deceased due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is bleeding between the surrounding tissues of the brain and the brain itself.
Rondel Clark
On August 12th, 2017, 26-year-old Rondel Clark was competing at Cage Titans XXXV fight night in Plymouth, Massachusets. His opponent was Ryan Dunn.
Just as two minutes passed in round 3, Clark couldn’t fight anymore as he was visibly fatigued, and the referee stopped the fight. Clark lost via TKO to Dunn. Doctors checked on him after the fight, and he was sent to a hospital in Boston, where his kidneys started to fail.
Three days after the fight, on August 15th, 2017, Clark died due to rhabdomyolysis, which causes quick deterioration of muscle tissue. Doctors also found out that his kidney failure was caused by severe dehydration.
Donshay White
Aged 37, Donshay White fought Ricky Muse on July 16th, 2017, at the Hardrock MMA 90 event located in Louisville, Kentucky. In this heavyweight fight, White lost in the second round via TKO. Also, he hasn’t fought since 2015, before the fight.
Sometime after the fight, Donshay collapsed and was transferred to a hospital. Doctors couldn’t do anything but pronounce death at 9:02 pm. The cause of White’s death was hypertensive heart disease, and later, the autopsy showed that he didn’t take any medication to deal with hypertension or high blood pressure.
MMA fighters are fierce combatants who put their bodies and lives on the line in their bouts. Because of that, there are rules and regulations made specifically to protect fighters from dangerous scenarios. Some rules are strict and logical, and some rules are weird and unusual, yet they make sense.
The game of basketball is riddled with electrifying plays that get the crowd going, like buzzer-beaters, half-court shots, or flashy passes. But there’s nothing that could excite die-hard basketball fans more than some emphatic slam dunks!
Today, I’ve prepared for you a well-detailed review of the 20 best dunkers in NBA history. This league has seen serious high-flying slams, from MJ’s free throw dunk to Shaq’s rim-rocking dunks that shattered glass backboards.
Get ready, to discover who are the best NBA dunkers of all time!
I’ve started this list with one of the most athletic basketball players who always put on a show with his incredible dunks—J.R. Smith. His explosiveness is unmatched, and his highlight reel is full of dunks like windmills, reverses, and 360s.
He made these moves not only in his prime while playing for the Knicks and Nuggets but also later when he was a Cavalier. Besides being one of the best dunkers of all time, J.R. was a great three-point shooter and could score points from all positions on the court.
Dwight Howard is one of the strongest centers in the NBA. He’s a true power-dunker who puts many defenders to shame, especially with his two-handed slam dunks. During his best years at Orlando, he was an unstoppable force and even led them to an NBA Final.
Also, thanks to his immense athleticism and powerful build, he was often compared to Shaq. In 2008, Dwight won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest with a Jordan-esque dunk from the free-throw line. At 37, Howard is still active and plays for the T1 League Taouyan Leopards.
Dwayne Wade is a three-time NBA champion and a legend of the Miami Heat. His jump shots and mid-range shots were his trademark moves. Besides that, he’s also one of the best dunkers in NBA history.
Injuries have limited his abilities over time, but at his peak, Wade became famous for putting many big men on posters. The most notable was when he annihilated Anderson Varejao by dunking over him. No player like Wade could go fearlessly to the rim and dunk with authority.
Derrick Rose has to be one of the biggest “what ifs” in basketball.
With 6’ 3” height, he did some amazing high-flying slams and soared to the rim with unmatched explosiveness. Winning the MVP award in the 2010/11 season, Rose was the youngest player to win it, and many fans thought he could be the next big Bulls superstar.
Unfortunately, multiple knee injuries ruined his path to greatness. Nevertheless, when Derrick was healthy, his capacity to hang in the air and throw such flashy throwdowns was something many players couldn’t even dream of.
Westbrook was always criticized because of his unpredictable playing style. But no one can criticize his ability to throw slam dunks, even though he’s a point guard. Whenever basketball fans watch Westbrook play, they can expect a different dunk he’ll throw down with authority.
Even with his reckless playing style, Russel is still active and injury-free. His best years were at Oklahoma City Thunder, where he produced some jaw-dropping in-game dunks.
Memorable dunk: Below the legs, over the mascot slam
Vertical jump: 39”
Aaron Gordon is, without a doubt, among the elite dunkers of this generation. This athletic power forward from the Denver Nuggets has produced some emphatic rim-rattling dunks during games.
Gordon is mostly famous for participating in the slam dunk contests.
He unfairly lost to Zach Lavine in 2016, and his behind-the-legs dunk over the mascot is one of the most legendary dunks fans have ever witnessed. Also, he was robbed at the 2020 dunk contest, losing to Derrick Jones Jr.
There is no doubt that Gordon gave the basketball lovers what they wanted to see in those contests.
Prime Tracy McGrady produced some of the best high-flying poster dunks in the NBA. When health was on his side, McGrady was an absolute nightmare for big men as he quite often posterized them. Also, Tracy’s speed allowed him to make quick breakaway dunks with ease.
But, injuries got to him very fast and drained the explosiveness out of him in his late 20s. Nevertheless, McGrady was a sight to behold for the time when he played at the Rockets and deserves his spot on the list as one of the best dunkers of all time. There’s no surprise that he was an amazing dunker, given the fact that his cousin is the greatest dunker in NBA history—Vince Carter.
Scottie Pippen, the greatest sidekick ever in the NBA, won two three-peats with the Chicago Bulls. He was a complete player mostly known for being a fantastic perimeter defender, and he didn’t lack in the offensive part either.
However, Pippen was also famous for his disrespectful dunks thrown over famous centers. His best dunk was against the New York Knicks when he posterized Patrick Ewing and even stepped over him after the landing.
Other centers Pippen put to shame at the rim were Charles Barkley, Manute Bol, and Karl Malone. Big men and other players also knew that when Pippen drove through the lane, they better be careful.
The NBA has never witnessed a more dominant force in the game than the massive 300-pound center Shaquille O’Neal. His one-of-a-kind build helped him to make ferocious dunks. Some of them even broke the backboard, which testifies to how terrifyingly strong Shaq was as a player. Besides being big, Shaq was pretty agile and fast, which was a real problem for many big men in the paint.
Sure, there were players on this list who dunked with more grace and elegance than him, but Shaq’s strength and supremacy on the court helped him to be included.
When we talk about Lebron James, the main topic of discussion is whether he’ll be the GOAT by the end of his career. For many, this is already set in stone, as Lebron is also one of the best passers in NBA history, in addition to being the league’s top point scorer. However, what needs to be mentioned more often is that Lebron is one of the best dunkers of all time.
James’ athleticism and brute strength make him unstoppable when he attacks the rim and throws a mind-blowing dunk. His trademark is the tomahawk dunk.
Throughout his career, James also threw countless posters on players like Jason Terry, Damon Jones, Jusuf Nurkic, etc.
Fans still can’t get over the fact that Lebron didn’t participate in a Slam Dunk Contest. However, he often makes in-game dunks that look like the ones players make in that contest.
Memorable dunk: “Skywalker” dunks over Bobby Jones
Vertical jump: 48”
The top 10 list of the best NBA dunkers starts with a pioneer of high-flying dunks—David Thompson. This former Nuggets player was even part of the first dunk contest in the ABA League( later part of the NBA) alongside Julius Erving, George Gervin, and others.
His nickname, “Skywalker,” says it all. He was 6’4” tall and had an enormous vertical jump of 48”.
Nothing brought joy to Thompson more than when he posterized his opponents. Thompson took pride in the fact and even said in one interview that he would be at a psychological advantage when he dunked over a bigger man.
What’s also fascinating about Thompson is that a young Michael Jordan drew great inspiration from his fascinating dunks and wanted to be a player like him.
The late Kobe Bryant was as close as someone could get to the GOAT, Michael Jordan. He always carried himself confidently, which translated into his dunks.
Kobe was unstoppable and feared absolutely no one when he attacked the rim. He regularly dunked in other players’ faces, posterizing and humbling them. He dunked on some of the biggest centers ever, like Yao Ming and Dwight Howard.
As a rookie In 1997, he won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest with some vicious between-the-legs and reverse dunks. This contest was just the first of many accolades that Kobe achieved during his illustrious career.
Thanks to his raw strength and impressive athleticism, Blake Griffin is among the most powerful NBA dunkers ever. This 6’ 10” big man made breathtaking dunks when he was 100% healthy.
His most memorable night has to be the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest, when he put on a show with a 360-spinning dunk and a reverse dunk over a KIA car.
When Blake Griffin played for the Clippers, he put players like Timofey Mozgov and Kendrick Perkins on posters. He could throw three to four dunks in each game, and many of them kept the crowd on their feet.
Memorable dunk: A dunk almost from the free-throw line
Vertical jump: 43”
A Portland Trailblazers legend, Clyde Drexler is known for his exciting, smooth, high-flying slams. Michael Jordan definitely overshadowed him, and if it weren’t for him, more of Clyde’s dunks would’ve been remembered.
Nevertheless, his nickname “Glide” was justified since his unmatched ability in the air was evident in most of his dunks. He moved his feet while in the air, which looked like he was walking in the air.
Dunking seemed like an easy routine while he gracefully flew in the air. Drexler also competed in numerous dunk contests, and it was an absolute joy to watch him as he threw breathtaking jams.
#6 – Shawn Kemp
Memorable dunk: Poster dunk on Alton Lister
Vertical jump: 41”
Seattle Supersonics superstar Shawn Kemp is among the most ferocious NBA dunkers in a power forward position. He liked contact and threw dunks on players with intensity and tenacity like no one had seen. Besides poster dunks, Kemp often enjoyed doing alley-oops with the help of another Seattle Supersonics legend, Gary Payton.
His unforgettable poster dunk on Alton Lister has to be one of the most disrespectful in history. To make it more ridiculous, Kemp pointed his fingers to Lister, who was on the ground. Kemp was indeed a rare sight to behold when he drove through traffic and soared in the air for a powerful slam dunk.
#5 – Jason Richardson
Memorable dunk: Reverse buzzer-beating dunk against the Grizzlies
Vertical jump: 46.5”
2x NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion
One of the most underrated NBA dunkers ever was Jason Richardson.
When it comes to the Slam Dunk Contests, he won in 2002 and 2003. Richardson threw 360s, 180 reversed windmills, between-the-legs slams, and many other dunks. Also, he didn’t disappoint with his in-game dunks since most resembled those in the dunk contests.
He really had the knack for moving his feet in the air, which added to the flair of the high-flying dunks.
During his time in the NBA, Richardson had many highlight reels of superb dunks like tomahawks, putback dunks, double reversed slams, etc.
Memorable dunk: “Rock the baby” Cradle dunk vs the Lakers
Vertical jump: 43”
1x ABA Dunk Contest Champion
Julius Erving, or Dr.J, is the pioneer of dunking. He revolutionized dunks in the 1970s and was one of the most influential dunkers in the modern-day NBA. Erving made dunks a big part of his playing style and performed them with great finesse and elegance. His creativity in the air was unreal.
His most famous dunk is the legendary “Rock the Baby” cradle dunk versus the Lakers. Erving effortlessly flew in the air, palmed the basketball with his hands while flying, and dunked viciously.
His impressive vertical jump and solid build helped him attack the rim and dunk without fear of big men in the paint.
NBA became a lot more entertaining when Dr. J started throwing high-flying slams.
#3 – Dominique Wilkins
Memorable dunk: Poster dunk over Bob Lanier
Vertical jump: 42”
2x NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion
Number three on the list goes to the dunking maestro and former Houston Rockets player Dominique Wilkins. He put on a show in many of his games, hence the nickname “The Human Highlight Reel.” Wilkins was a rare NBA dunker who was both powerful and creative.
His collection of memorable dunks was quite long, from strong one-handed jams to 360 tomahawk dunks.
He won the 1985 and 1990 NBA Slam Dunk Contests and competed against legends like Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Clyde Drexler, and others. The 1988 Slam Dunk Contest, in which he competed against Michael Jordan, is widely regarded as the best in the NBA’s history. Dominique is a true inspiration for many of today’s dunkers.
Memorable dunk: Free-throw line dunk at the 1987 NBA Slam Dunk Contest
Vertical jump: 48”
2x NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion
The greatest of all time, Michael Jordan, takes the number two spot. MJ had mind-blowing dunks during games and when he competed in the NBA Slam Dunk Contests. He may not have had great power in his dunks, but they were graceful and aesthetically impressive.
His main strength was the ability to hang in the air for so long that he made time stand still. Then, he would just jump quickly and put the ball in the basket.
MJ won two Slam Dunk Contests, with the free-throw line dunk in 1987 being his most memorable and stunning jam. His nickname, “Air” Jordan, was well deserved.
He also didn’t spare any defenders and posterized many like Patrick Ewing, Bill Laimbeer, Dikembe Mutombo, etc.
#1 – Vince Carter
Memorable dunk: Poster jam over Frederic Weis
Vertical jump: 43”
1x NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion
No one can deny that Vince Carter is the best NBA dunker ever. What’s impressive about Carter is that besides doing breathtaking dunks during a dunk contest, he produced stunning in-game dunks that looked like the ones he did in the competition.
He threw down posters, windmills, alley-oops, one-handed dunks, mighty two-handed jams, and many other impressive dunks. Nicknamed “Vinsanity,” Carter had perfect timing for adjusting in mid-air and performing high-flying dunks with sharp precision.
In the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, he put a historic performance with four rounds of thunderous dunks, the most famous one being the 360 windmill dunk.
The 2000 Olympics left the crowd in shock when he jumped over a 7’2” French center, Frederic Weis, and did the best in-game poster dunk in basketball history.
His stunning feats of athleticism won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
When we talk about the NBA, many of us start thinking about the league’s star players. However, those superstars won’t be able to become who they are without the tactical geniuses who shaped them and provided them with proper guidance—the head coaches.
These great minds helped NBA teams win championships, create star players, invent new styles of play, and build memorable dynasties.
In order to have better insight into how coaches are a crucial element of all basketball teams, I’ve made a list of the 10 best NBA coaches of all time.
Some of the factors included to determine the best ones are the number of championships, their coaching longevity, and how they revolutionized their teams.
Continue reading, and discover which ten coaches are NBA royalty!
#10 – Jerry Sloan
Championships: 0
Playoffs wins: 98
Playoffs win/loss %: .485
Regular season wins: 1221
Regular season win/loss %: .603
Jerry Sloan is the best NBA coach in history, never to win an NBA championship. Before joining Utah, he was the assistant coach of the Chicago Bulls for four years.
After that, he joined the Utah Jazz in 1985, where he was assistant coach for four seasons. In 1988, the Utah Jazz appointed him as the head coach of the team, and the rest is history. He led the Jazz for 23 seasons and amassed 1,221 wins.
Under his leadership, the Utah Jazz appeared 15 times in a row in the playoffs from 1989 to 2003. Sloan used the pick and roll often while coaching the Jazz thanks to one of the most dominant duos of all time, John Stockton and Karl Malone.
Jerry Sloan could’ve easily won the championships in 1997 and 1998 if it weren’t for the unstoppable Jordan-led Bulls.
#9 – Lenny Wilkens
Championships: 1
Playoffs wins: 80
Playoffs win/loss %: .449
Regular season wins: 1332
Regular season win/loss %: .536
The next legendary NBA coach on this list is Lenny Wilkens. He is one of the longest-tenured NBA coaches by being in the NBA for 35 seasons and leading 2,500 games in total. Wilkens was quite consistent by going into the playoffs for 20 seasons during his career.
Lenny’s biggest success was winning the NBA Championship back in the 78/79 with the Seattle Supersonics, whose biggest players were Gus Williams, Dennis Johnson, and Jack Sikma.
He took pride in the fact that you don’t have to win an NBA title with superstars. Wilkens never even coached an NBA Hall of Famer during his entire career. Besides the Supersonics, he coached numerous NBA teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trailblazers, and Toronto Raptors.
Coach Lenny holds third place among the best coaches in NBA history with an incredible 1332 wins in his career.
#8 – Chuck Daly
Championships: 2
Playoffs wins: 75
Playoffs win/loss %: .595
Regular season wins: 638
Regular season win/loss %: .593
Chuck Daly began as a coach for high-school teams and eventually got the chance to lead college teams. His first gig in the NBA started as an assistant coach for the 76ers. After four seasons at the Sixers, he got the job of head coach at the Cleveland Cavaliers, which was disastrous as he only managed to get nine wins out of 41 games in the 1981-1982 season.
Everything changed when he got the job at Detroit Pistons in 1983 as their head coach. In the 80s, the Lakers and Celtics dominated the league until 1988, when Daly and the Pistons shook up the rivalry by first going to the NBA finals, then winning the NBA titles in 1989 and 1990.
Daly revolutionized how the Pistons played by focusing on hard defense and physical play. He was one of the first coaches with the mindset that “defense wins titles.” His main defensive players were Rodman, Laimbeer, and Mahorn.
Daly coached the New Jersey Nets and Orlando Magic before retiring in 1999. He also coached the NBA Dream Team at the 1992 Olympics, when they won the golden medal.
#7 – Red Holzman
Championships: 2
Playoffs wins: 58
Playoffs win/loss %: .552
Regular season wins: 696
Regular season win/loss %: .536
One of the best NBA coaches was Red Holzman. In the 14 years he spent as a coach for the New York Knicks, they won two NBA titles, in 1970 and 1973. Before joining the New York Knicks, he was also in the Milwaukee and St. Louis Hawks.
One year before winning the title, in 1969, Holzman helped the New York Knicks go on an impressive 18-win streak, breaking the record for most consecutive wins.
Coaches sometimes get a bad reputation for being aggressive and too loud, but Red was the complete opposite. He was calm and collected as a coach, which translated into how the Knicks played when they won the titles. His biggest individual reward was winning the award for NBA Coach of the Year in 1970.
#6 – K.C. Jones
Championships: 2
Playoffs wins: 81
Playoffs win/loss %: .587
Regular season wins: 522
Regular season win/loss %: .674
Even though K.C. Jones had a relatively short tenure as a coach compared to the others on this list, he still used that time efficiently. Before going to the Celtics, he was an assistant and head coach for teams like the LA Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Bullets, etc. In 1978, he joined the Boston Celtics as an assistant coach.
In 1983, he was introduced as the new head coach of the Celtics and led the team until 1988. During his time at Boston, K.C. Jones won two NBA championships in 1984 and 1986.
In his coaching career K.C. Jones led notable players like Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale to NBA titles. Jones also coached 5 NBA All-Star games. He was always a players’ coach, meaning he truly listened to his players’ advice.
#5 – Steve Kerr
Championships: 4
Playoffs wins: 99
Playoffs win/loss %: .707
Regular season wins: 482
Regular season win/loss %: .660
Steve Kerr earned his place on the list of the best NBA coaches of all time by being one of the best in the modern league. In 9 seasons with the Golden State Warriors and the tenth currently being played, he appeared in 6 NBA finals and won 4 championships. His philosophy is to keep the ball moving fast and focus on three-point shooting.
Many NBA teams today have implemented that into their game strategy. He has a lot of great players who helped him implement that philosophy, like the “Splash Brothers” (Curry and Thompson) and Draymond Green as the defense expert.
In the 2015/16 season, Kerr earned the Coach of the Year award. He led the Warriors to a record-breaking 73 wins in that regular season. With a .660 win/loss % he’s the third-best coach in history who amassed more than 700 games.
Kerr is still young as a coach, so we’ll undoubtedly see more accolades in the future.
#4 – Pat Riley
Championships: 5
Playoffs wins: 171
Playoffs win/loss %: .606
Regular season wins: 1210
Regular season win/loss %: 636
Pat Riley, one of the most successful coaches in NBA history, made it to this list. He started his career in 1979 as the assistant coach of the LA Lakers. In 1981, he became the head coach of the Lakers and won his first NBA championship in the same season. Riley left a significant mark on NBA basketball with the “Showtime” Lakers and won 4 NBA Championships in total with them.
His coaching philosophy was to form strategies that best fit the players of his teams and quickly adapt to any situation on the court. For instance, the Magic and Kareem-led Lakers loved the fast ball movement and flashy plays.
In 1991, he took the New York Knicks under his wing and led them to one NBA Finals during the four seasons with them. In the 1995-96 season, he took over the Miami Heat.
Pat Riley won the championship with the Miami Heat in 2006 thanks to the incredible duo of Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O’Neal. He retired in 2008 as a Miami Heat head coach.
All the coaches that I’ve included in this list, as well as Pat Riley, are among the 15 best NBA coaches of all time, according to the NBA’s 75th anniversary celebration selection.
#3- Red Auerbach
Championships: 9
Playoffs wins: 99
Playoffs win/loss %: .589
Regular season wins: 823
Regular season win/loss %: .658
Number 3 on the list deservingly goes to one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time in the NBA—Red Auerbach. Arguably, the best coach in Boston Celtics history, Auerbach, spent 16 seasons at that club and won 9 NBA titles. Red coached legendary players like Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, and many others.
He won his first NBA championship in the 1956/57 season. Then, from 1959 until 1966, he was the mastermind behind the Celtics’ record-breaking streak of 8 NBA titles. Red emphasized teamwork and suggested that his players don’t focus on individual scoring.
What’s also interesting about Red is that he only made the decisions since he had no assistant head coaches on his staff. Auerbach also had a talent for being a great motivator to his players, and nine titles are proof he was successful at it.
#2 – Gregg Popovich
Championships: 5
Playoffs wins: 170
Playoffs win/loss %: .599
Regular season wins: 1369
Regular season win/loss %: .638
Consistency and Gregg Popovich have to go in the same sentence. With the San Antonio Spurs, he made one of the greatest dynasties the NBA has ever seen. Under his leadership, he got into playoffs for 22 consecutive seasons and won 5 NBA titles.
He started to lead the Spurs in 1996 and also holds the record for the most wins in the history of the NBA as a head coach. Currently, he has over 1370, but that number will increase since Popovich is still an active Spurs coach.
Pop primarily focused on having a rock-solid defense and creating a culture where every player could contribute. He also put emphasis on the fundamentals of the game, which can help win championships.
Gregg Popovich coached many legendary basketball players like Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, etc. He was also a mentor to Steve Kerr, who was part of the Spurs coaching staff and certainly benefited greatly from the knowledge passed to him from one of the best NBA coaches of all time.
#1- Phil Jackson
Championships: 11
Playoffs wins: 229
Playoffs win/loss %: .688
Regular season wins: 1155
Regular season win/loss %: .704
I’ve completed this list with undoubtedly the best NBA basketball coach of all time—Phil Jackson. He holds the record for being an NBA coach with most rings—11. He joined the Chicago Bulls in 1989 and won two three-peats with that team. His best regular season with the Bulls was the 1995/96 season when they amassed 72 wins.
After his successful Bulls stint, he joined the Lakers in 1999 and won three consecutive NBA championships. Jackson won two more titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010.
Phil promoted a culture of trust and collaboration. His leadership philosophy was heavily influenced by meditation and the ideas of the Buddhists. Henceforth, his nickname was “The Zen Master.”
He coached some of the best basketball players in history, including two of the arguably best NBA duos in Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen at Chicago, and Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in Los Angeles.
