The NBA is often remembered for the incredible actions pulled out inside the court by the athletes. A smashing dunk from Shaquille O’Neal and a burst of speed from Micahel Jordan are all the memories fans take home after an enthralling game of basketball. However, there is also a hidden aspect to the Jordans and O’Neals. It is their coaches who have toiled hard behind the curtains to make the players attain legendary status.
And there is no shortage of successful NBA coaches. Over the years, the basketball fraternity has been lucky enough to witness the brilliance of the likes of Steve Kerr, Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, and more. Unfortunately, oftentimes, even the most successful coaches get deprived of tasting the success of winning an NBA championship. Treading along the somber path, here are the top 5 best NBA coaches without an NBA title.
5. Mike D’Antoni
D’Antoni is featured in the fifth spot on the list of coaches with the most victories. With 668 regular season game victories, there is no telling about the credibility of Mike D’Antoni. The legendary coach brought one of the biggest revolutions in the NBA with his ‘seven seconds or less’ offensive style. Coaching the Phoenix Suns, D’Antoni took his team to the Western Conference Finals on two occasions, missing the championship by a whisker.
However, D’Antoni did not give up his quest to win an NBA title. Coaching the Houston Rockets, the 73-year-old not only guided the team to two Western Conference finals but also helped James Harden mature into an icon. Unfortunately, despite his heroics, D’Antoni’s search for his maiden NBA championship as a coach is still very much on.
4. Don Nelson
Any ardent NBA fanatic will surely be in terms with the phrase ‘Nellie Ball.’ This is one of the biggest revolutionary tactical masterclasses that the game has ever witnessed. And the architect behind the same was none other than Don Nelson. Urging the use of a small ball lineup with point forwards, Nelson and his team wreaked havoc by outscoring opponents in a jiffy. It was Nelson’s basketball craftsmanship that made the Golden State Warriors’ ‘TMC’ (Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin) the highest-scoring trio in the 1990-91 season.
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Having retired as a coach, Nelson seems to have his bag of accolades full. With an incredible 1335 victories, Nelson boasts of having the most NBA victories as a coach. Sadly, the only thing missing from his cabinet is an NBA ring.
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3. Rick Adelman
Adelman introduced the ‘corner’ offense in basketball. Under this system, Rick Adelman gave his players full liberty to play the game by reacting to the defensive organization of the opponent team. This was highly successful, as Adelman was able to bring out the best in Brad Miller, Chris Webber, and Vlade Divac.
Unfortunately, despite being one of the winningest coaches in NBA history, Adelman lacks an NBA championship to show for it. Although he came tantalizingly close to winning the title twice with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Sacramento Kings, the NBA ring did elude him on both occasions.
2. George Karl
1175 wins, a percentage of .588, and 80 playoff victories surely make George Karl a legend. His ability to maximize his team’s full potential made him an instant hit in the NBA circuit. While he was known for his ferocious offense coaching the Nuggets and the Bucks. Karl’s defensive orientation for Seattle earned him immense praise. But as luck would have it, despite reaching the NBA finals once, Karl’s hopes of winning the ring were repeatedly dented by the prime Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs.
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1. Jerry Sloan
Speaking of successful NBA coaches, there can be no name greater than Jerry Sloan. The legendary coach devoted 26 years of his life to developing the Utah Jazz. By introducing a whole new flex defense strategy in the Jazz system, the likes of Hall of Famer Carl Malone and John Stockton made life miserable for their opponents.
Boasting a win percentage of .603% with 1221 wins that included 98 playoff victories as well. Sloan reached the finals on two occasions, each time failing to cross the line.
Well, the above list of coaches might have failed to win the championship, but that does not, in any manner, tarnish their image as one of the best ones in NBA history.
