List of Los Angeles Lakers head coaches

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The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. formerly known as the Detroit Gems from 1947 to 1948 and the Minneapolis Lakers from 1948 to 1960. [1] They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers have played their home games at the Crypto.com Arena since 1999. [2] The franchise took its official name from Minnesota's nickname, the Land of 10,000 Lakes. At the time the name was revealed, the Lakers were in Minneapolis. [3] In their franchise history, the team has only missed the NBA playoffs 11 times. [4] According to Forbes magazine, the Lakers are the second most valuable basketball franchise in the NBA, valued at approximately US$4.4 billion, surpassed only by the New York Knicks. [5] The Lakers are majority-owned by Jerry Buss's family trust, while Rob Pelinka is the general manager. [6]

Contents

The franchise has had 31 head coaches, including 29 since joining the NBA. The franchise's first head coach was Joel Mason, while its first coach in the NBA was John Kundla, who coached for 12 seasons with the Lakers in the NBL, BAA and NBA and winning 6 combined NBL/BAA/NBA championships. [1] Phil Jackson is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season games coached (902), most playoff games coached (181), most regular-season game wins (610), and most playoff wins (118). The Lakers have won 17 BAA/NBA championships; five with Kundla, five with Jackson, four with Riley, one with Bill Sharman, one with Paul Westhead, and one with Frank Vogel. [7] With the Lakers, Sharman, Riley, and Del Harris have won the NBA Coach of the Year Award, in 1972, 1990, and 1995 respectively. [8] Kundla, Sharman, Riley, and Jackson have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. [9] [10] [11] [12] George Mikan, Jim Pollard, Jerry West, Pat Riley, Magic Johnson, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, and Luke Walton have all played and coached for the Lakers.

Key

GCGames coached
WWins
LLosses
Win% Winning percentage
#Number of coaches [a]
*Spent entire NBA head coaching career with the Lakers
Elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach
*Elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach and
spent entire coaching career with the Lakers

Coaches

Note: Statistics are correct through the 2024–25 season.

NBL

#NameTerm [b] GCWLWin%GCWLWin%AchievementsReference
Regular seasonPlayoffs
Detroit Gems
1 Joel Mason 1946–194716313.188 [13]
2 Fred Campbell 194728127.004 [13]
Minneapolis Lakers
3 John Kundla *1947–1948604317.7171082.8001 Championship (1948)
1 WPBT championship (1948)
[13]

BAA/NBA

#NameTerm [b] GCWLWin%GCWLWin%AchievementsReference
Regular seasonPlayoffs
Minneapolis Lakers
1 John Kundla * 19481957 653390263.597825428.6595 Championships (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954) [7]
One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [14]
[9]
2 George Mikan * 1957–1958 39930.231 [15]
John Kundla * 1958–1959 723339.4581367.462One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [14] [9]
John Castellani * 1959–1960 361125.306 [16]
Jim Pollard 1960 391425.359954.556 [17]
Los Angeles Lakers
Fred Schaus * 19601967 560315245.563713338.465 [18]
Butch van Breda Kolff 19671969 16410757.652332112.636 [19]
Joe Mullaney 19691971 1649470.573301614.533 [20]
Bill Sharman 19711976 410246164.600372215.595 1971–72 NBA Coach of the Year [8]
1 Championship (1972) [7]
[10]
Jerry West * 19761979 246145101.58922814.364 [21]
Jack McKinney 1979 14104.714 [22]
Paul Westhead 19791981 16111150.68919136.6841 Championship (1980) [7] [23]
Pat Riley 19811990 727533194.73314910247.685 1989–90 NBA Coach of the Year [8]
4 Championships (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) [7]
One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [14]
[11]
Mike Dunleavy 19901992 16410163.616231310.565 McDonald's Open winner (1991) [24]
Randy Pfund * 19921994 1466680.452523.400 [25]
Bill Bertka * 1994 211.500 [26]
Magic Johnson * 1994 16511.313 [27]
Del Harris 19941999 340224116.659361719.472 1994–95 NBA Coach of the Year [8] [28]
Bill Bertka * 1999 1101.000 [26]
Kurt Rambis 1999 372413.649835.375 [29]
Phil Jackson 19992004 410287123.700926428.6963 Championships (2000, 2001, 2002) [7]
One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [14]
[12]
Rudy Tomjanovich 2004–2005 432419.558 [30]
Frank Hamblen 2005 391029.256 [31]
Phil Jackson 20052011 492323169.657895435.6072 Championships (2009, 2010) [7]
One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [14]
[12]
Mike Brown 20112012 714229.5911257.417 [32]
Bernie Bickerstaff 2012 541.800 [33]
Mike D'Antoni 20122014 1546787.435404.000 [34]
Byron Scott 20142016 16438126.227 [35]
Luke Walton 20162019 24698148.398 [36]
Frank Vogel 20192022 22512798.56427189.6671 Championship (2020) [7] [37]
Darvin Ham 20222024 1649074.54916912.4291 NBA Cup (2023) [38]
JJ Redick 2024–present825032.610514.200 [39]

Notes

References

General
Specific
  1. 1 2 "Los Angeles Lakers History". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on February 17, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
  2. "About STAPLES Center". L.A. Arena Company. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
  3. Reavis, Tracey (2000). The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia. Doubleday. ISBN   978-0-385-50130-9.
  4. "Odom scores 31, Lakers beat Mavericks 112-108 to clinch a playoff berth". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on November 6, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
  5. "The Business of Basketball". Forbes . Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  6. Markazi, Arash (February 18, 2013). "Buss family won't sell Lakers". ESPNLosAngeles.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Archived from the original on February 19, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "NBA Finals: All-Time Champions". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2008.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Coach of the Year". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on September 15, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2008.
  9. 1 2 3 "John Kundla Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on May 17, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
  10. 1 2 "Bill Sharman Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  11. 1 2 "Pat Riley Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 7, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  12. 1 2 3 "Phil Jackson Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 11, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  13. 1 2 3 Murry R. Nelson (2009). The National Basketball League: A History, 1935–1949 (1st ed.). McFarland. ISBN   978-0786453610.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Top 10 Coaches in NBA History". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on January 19, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
  15. "George Mikan Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 2, 2008. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
  16. "John Castellani Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 1, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  17. "Jim Pollard Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 24, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  18. "Fred Schaus Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 1, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  19. "Butch Van Breda Kolff Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  20. "Joe Mullaney Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on November 1, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  21. "Jerry West Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  22. "Jack MckInney Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  23. "Paul Westhead Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 25, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  24. "Mike Dunleavy Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 1, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  25. "Randy Pfund Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 1, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  26. 1 2 "Bill Bertka Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 24, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  27. "Magic Johnson Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  28. "Del Harris Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 9, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  29. "Kurt Rambis Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 2, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  30. "Rudy Tomjanovich Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  31. "Frank Hamblem Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 1, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  32. "Mike Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on May 10, 2010. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  33. "Bernie Bickerstaff Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  34. "Mike D'Antoni Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  35. "Byron Scott Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 20, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  36. "Luke Walton Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  37. "Frank Vogel Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  38. "Darvin Ham Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  39. "Lakers hiring Redick as new coach, sources say". ESPN.com. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-06-21.