List of San Antonio Spurs head coaches

Last updated

The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The franchise was founded as the Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967. [1] The team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest by fans in Dallas, and the name "Dallas" was dropped in favor of "Texas" during the 1970–71 season in an attempt to make the team regional. This also proved to be a failure, and the team returned full-time to use "Dallas" for the 1971–72 season. [2] The team was put up for sale after missing the playoffs in the 1972–73 season. [1] [2] The team was acquired by a group of 36 San Antonio businessmen, led by Angelo Drossos and Red McCombs, who relocated the team to San Antonio, Texas and renamed it to Spurs. [1] [2] In 1976, the ABA folded, threatening the future of San Antonio's sole professional sports franchise. [1] The NBA, however, decided to admit four ABA teams into the league, including the Spurs, along with the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers and the New York Nets. [1]

Contents

There have been 18  head coaches for the San Antonio Spurs. The franchise won their first NBA championship in the 1999 NBA Finals coached by Gregg Popovich. [1] The Spurs won four additional NBA championships in 2003 NBA Finals, 2005 NBA Finals, 2007 NBA Finals and 2014 NBA Finals under Popovich. [1] Popovich is the franchise's all-time leader in both regular season and playoff games coached and wins. [3] He also won the NBA Coach of the Year award for 2002–03 season. [4] Larry Brown is the only member of the franchise that has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. [5] Bob Bass, who has coached with the Spurs for four terms, leads the franchise in most terms coached. [6] Cliff Hagan, Max Williams, Bill Blakeley, Dave Brown, Morris McHone, Jerry Tarkanian and Popovich spent their entire coaching careers with the Spurs. [3] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Key

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

Coaches

Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2021–22 season.

#NameTerm [b] GCWLWin%GCWLWin%AchievementsReference
Regular seasonPlayoffs
Dallas/Texas Chaparrals
Cliff Hagan *1967–197019910990.5481578.467 [7]
Max Williams *1970602832.467624.333 [8]
Bill Blakeley *1970–1971652540.385404.000 [9]
Tom Nissalke 1971–1972844242.500404.000 [13]
Babe McCarthy 1972–1973722448.333 [14]
Dave Brown *19731248.333 [10]
San Antonio Spurs
Tom Nissalke 1973–19741126349.563734.428 [13]
Bob Bass 1974–19761408357.5931358.385 [6]
Doug Moe 19761980 312177135.56722913.409 [15]
Bob Bass 1980 1688.500312.333 [6]
Stan Albeck 19801983 24615393.622271314.481 [16]
Morris McHone * 1983 311120.355 [11]
Bob Bass 1983–1984 512625.510 [6]
Cotton Fitzsimmons 19841986 1647688.463826.250 [17]
Bob Weiss 19861988 16459105.360303.000 [18]
Larry Brown 19881992 284153131.5391477.500 [5]
Bob Bass 1992 442618.591303.000 [6]
Jerry Tarkanian * 1992 20911.450 [12]
Rex Hughes 1992 1101.000 [19]
John Lucas II 19921994 1439449.6571468.428 [20]
Bob Hill 19941996 18212458.681251411.560 [21]
Gregg Popovich * 1996–present2,1271,366761.642284170114.5992002–03, 2011–12, 2013–14 NBA Coach of the Year [4]
5 championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)
[3]

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Antonio Spurs</span> National Basketball Association team in San Antonio

The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Chaparrals</span> Basketball team in Lubbock, Texas

The Dallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA). The team moved to San Antonio, Texas, for the 1973–74 season and were renamed the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs joined the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the 1976–77 NBA season as a result of being one of four chosen ABA teams to be absorbed by the elder league following the completion of the ABA–NBA merger.

The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA championships from 1956 to 1966. The winner is selected at the end of the regular season by a panel of sportswriters from the United States and Canada, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points; each second-place vote is worth three points; and each third-place vote is worth one point. The person with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Gervin</span> American basketball player (born 1952)

George Gervin, nicknamed "the Iceman", is an American former professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls. Gervin averaged at least 14 points per game in all 14 of his ABA and NBA seasons, and finished with an NBA career average of 26.2 points per game. Widely regarded as one of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history, in 1996 Gervin was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and in 2021, Gervin was named as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Becky Hammon</span> Russian-American basketball player and coach

Rebecca Lynn Hammon is a Russian-American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She previously served as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A three-time All-American basketball player for the Colorado State Rams, Hammon went on to play for the San Antonio Stars and New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for several other teams outside the United States. Hammon was born and raised in the United States, but she became a naturalized Russian citizen in 2008 and represented the Russian national team in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregg Popovich</span> American basketball coach (born 1949)

Gregg Charles Popovich is an American professional basketball coach and executive who is the president and head coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Popovich has been a member of the Spurs organization since 1994, as president of basketball operations and general manager before taking over as coach of the Spurs in 1996. Popovich is the longest tenured active coach in the NBA as well as all other major sports leagues in the United States. Nicknamed "Coach Pop", Popovich has the most wins of any coach in NBA history, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stan Albeck</span> American basketball player and coach (1931–2021)

Charles Stanley Albeck was an American professional basketball coach. Albeck coached for several teams in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA), including the Denver Rockets, the San Diego Conquistadors,, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the San Antonio Spurs, the New Jersey Nets, and the Chicago Bulls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvin Gentry</span> American basketball player and coach

Alvin Harris Gentry is an American professional basketball executive for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A former basketball player and coach, Gentry has served as the head coach of six NBA teams. He served as an interim head coach for the Miami Heat at the end of the 1994–95 season, and later coached the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans and Kings. He currently serves as the vice president of basketball engagement for the Kings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Netolicky</span> American basketball player

Robert Netolicky is a retired American basketball player. A 6'9" power forward/center, he played professionally in the now–defunct American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1967 to 1976. Netolicky was a four–time ABA All–Star and two–time ABA Champion.

James Edward Silas is a retired American professional basketball player, who played the point guard position. Born in Tallulah, Louisiana, Silas played the majority of his career with the Dallas Chaparrals/San Antonio Spurs of the ABA/NBA. His nicknames include "the Snake", "Captain Late" and "the Late Mr. Silas", the latter two referring to the fact that Silas seemed to play his best late in games.

The ABA All-Time Team were chosen in 1997 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the American Basketball Association (ABA). It comprised the 30 best and most influential players of the ABA during its ten years and nine full regular seasons of operation, with respect not only to performance at the professional level but in consideration of sportsmanship, team leadership, and contributions to the growth of the league basketball, and irrespective of positions played. Only players to have played at least a portion of their careers in the ABA were eligible for selection, although performance in other leagues, most notably the National Basketball Association was ostensibly considered. Selected and announced beside the all-time team were a most valuable player and top head coach.

The 2002–03 NBA season was the 36th season of the franchise, 30th in San Antonio, and 27th in the National Basketball Association. This was also the Spurs' first season playing at the SBC Center. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Kevin Willis, acquired second-year guard Speedy Claxton from the Philadelphia 76ers, and re-acquired former Spurs guard and three-point specialist Steve Kerr from the Portland Trail Blazers. Argentinian future star Manu Ginóbili, who was drafted by the team in 1999, would make his debut for his first NBA season. This would also be the fourteenth and final season for former All-Star center, and long-time Spurs star David Robinson. The Spurs played strong basketball, posting a nine-game winning streak at midseason, holding a 33–16 record at the All-Star break, then winning eleven straight games near the end of the season. The Spurs would win 60 games for only the second time in franchise history, finishing with a league-best 60–22 record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Brown</span> American professional basketball coach

Brett William Brown is an American professional basketball coach who is an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Brown is a former college basketball player who previously served as head coach for the Philadelphia 76ers from 2013 to 2020. Before that, Brown was an assistant on Gregg Popovich's staff on the Spurs. He also has extensive experience coaching in Australia, having been the head coach of the North Melbourne Giants and Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL).

References

General
Specific
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "San Antonio Spurs History". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 "Dallas Chaparrals History". RememberTheABA.com. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 "Gregg Popovich Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Coach of the Year". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on September 15, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
  5. 1 2 "Larry Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bob Bass Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  7. 1 2 "Cliff Hagan Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  8. 1 2 "Max Williams Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  9. 1 2 "Bill Blakely Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  10. 1 2 "Dave Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  11. 1 2 "Morris McHone Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  12. 1 2 "Jerry Tarkanian Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  13. 1 2 "Tom Nissalke Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  14. "Babe McCarthy Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  15. "Doug Moe Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  16. "Stan Albeck Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  17. "Cotton Fitzsimmons Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  18. "Bob Weiss Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  19. "Rex Hughes Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  20. "John Lucas Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  21. "Bob Hill Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2008.