Greatest Coaches of All-Time

[Robotech]

I like that addition.

Actually, he's probably not there at that level yet. Let's have him take another team to a title.

 

[flyerhawk]

Fitch was a grinder. I watched NBA 80's films religiously as a teenager. He even took a garbage 90's Clippers team to the playoffs. Spo, Doc, and Larry Brown don't belong on his level.

 

[Wamu]

That is just such a ridiculous thing to say on multiple levels.

Brown was a helluva coach. Not taking anything away from him. But on the college level he wasn't better than Wooden, Dean Smith or Coach K.

And on the NBA level he wasn't a better than Auerbach, Riley, Phil or Pop.

 

[trojanfan12]

Brown was a helluva coach. Not taking anything away from him. But on the college level he wasn't better than Wooden, Dean Smith or Coach K.

And on the NBA level he wasn't a better than Auerbach, Riley, Phil or Pop.

Imo, if Brown isn't the best pure coach in history, he's in the conversation. The problem is that, while he turned teams around and won everywhere he's been (often with less talent)...he's never stayed anywhere long enough to establish the kind of resume that gets him the same kind of notoriety as the coaches you listed. I think that he's as good as anyone you mentioned on that list and better than Phil.

 

[Robotech]

Imo, if Brown isn't the best pure coach in history, he's in the conversation. The problem is that, while he turned teams around and won everywhere he's been (often with less talent)...he's never stayed anywhere long enough to establish the kind of resume that gets him the same kind of notoriety as the coach you listed. I think that he's as good as anyone you mentioned on that list and better than Phil.

Yeah, good point. It's those long tenures of successful teams that make everyone remember you as a great coach. I still think Brown qualifies, but I get why people don't find him so memorable.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Yeah, good point. It's those long tenures of successful teams that make everyone remember you as a great coach. I still think Brown qualifies, but I get why people don't find him so memorable.

From a Pacers fan, Larry Bird was a better coach than Larry Brown.

Let's also not forget he fucked our '04 olympic team.

 

[Wamu]

Imo, if Brown isn't the best pure coach in history, he's in the conversation. The problem is that, while he turned teams around and won everywhere he's been (often with less talent)...he's never stayed anywhere long enough to establish the kind of resume that gets him the same kind of notoriety as the coach you listed. I think that he's as good as anyone you mentioned on that list and better than Phil.

There's no question he's in the conversation. But for me in the NBA & CBB there are some coaches I rank ahead of him.

And I'm not trying to taking anything away from Brown. His resume speaks for itself.

You mentioned how he never stayed at a place very long. Had he stayed somewhere in CBB he would have had one of the elite programs in the country. And I think he would have won multiple titles in the NBA.

It's safe to say there may never be another coach that had Brown's level of success in college & pros.

 

[msgkings322]

Brown was a helluva coach. Not taking anything away from him. But on the college level he wasn't better than Wooden, Dean Smith or Coach K.

And on the NBA level he wasn't a better than Auerbach, Riley, Phil or Pop.

But combined he was better than all of em. And arguably better than Phil and Auerbach in the pros. Took multiple teams with far less talent deep in the playoffs. Won a title with no superstars. Took Iverson (very inefficient but fun to watch) and a bunch of stiffs to the Finals. Etc.

Only coach to kill it both in college and pros. GOAT, imo

 

[msgkings322]

There's no question he's in the conversation. But for me in the NBA & CBB there are some coaches I rank ahead of him.

And I'm not trying to taking anything away from Brown. His resume speaks for itself.

You mentioned how he never stayed at a place very long. Had he stayed somewhere in CBB he would have had one of the elite programs in the country. And I think he would have won multiple titles in the NBA.

It's safe to say there may never be another coach that had Brown's level of success in college & pros.

Exactly....moving around adds to his greatness for me. He won in multiple ways with so many teams. He's the LeBron of coaches

 

[trojanfan12]

There's no question he's in the conversation. But for me in the NBA & CBB there are some coaches I rank ahead of him.

And I'm not trying to taking anything away from Brown. His resume speaks for itself.

You mentioned how he never stayed at a place very long. Had he stayed somewhere in CBB he would have had one of the elite programs in the country. And I think he would have won multiple titles in the NBA.

It's safe to say there may never be another coach that had Brown's level of success in college & pros.

He may be histories only ''mercenary coach''. Got a struggling team? Hire Larry. He'll get them turned around and move on.

It would have been interesting to see what he could have accomplished if he actually stuck around for awhile somewhere.

 

[Wamu]

Exactly....moving around adds to his greatness for me. He won in multiple ways with so many teams. He's the LeBron of coaches

Gotta disagree he's the LeBron of coaches. LeBron's played for three different teams & led all of them to titles. For all of Brown's coaching success in the NBA he's only got one ring.

You might find this interesting. My dad and Brown went to school together at Carolina. And remained good friends throughout the years until my dad passed away. I've meet Brown before. He's a helluva nice guy.

 

[Wamu]

He may be histories only ''mercenary coach''. Got a struggling team? Hire Larry. He'll get them turned around and move on.

It would have been interesting to see what he could have accomplished if he actually stuck around for awhile somewhere.

The guy won everywhere he went. Shows just how great of a coach he was.

 

[msgkings322]

Gotta disagree he's the LeBron of coaches. LeBron's played for three different teams & led all of them to titles. For all of Brown's coaching success in the NBA he's only got one ring.

You might find this interesting. My dad and Brown went to school together at Carolina. And remained good friends throughout the years until my dad passed away. I've meet Brown before. He's a helluva nice guy.

You're misunderstanding my analogy but I'm jealous you met Brown

 

[SJ76]

Larry Brown elite and one of the best of all time?

Sure why not. Anyone else win a NCAA Natty and NBA finals as a coach? I remember that Kansas team with Danny Manning against the Sooners of Oklahoma with Stacey King and Mookie Blaylock. I was 8.

LB learned from Dean Smith so you know the dude can coach. His downfall is he’s been around forever and moved around a lot.


Great b-ball coach but I’ll take Pat Riley or Phil Jackson. I’d take Dean Smith over all of them tho. Interesting to see what Phil Jackson would have been with no Tex Winter

 

[SJ76]

And somewhere… Jerry Krause is very offended of this thread and is requesting the best GM of all time thread

 

[Wamu]

You're misunderstanding my analogy but I'm jealous you met Brown

My bad then. And I thought you'd like that thing about Brown.

 

[Wamu]

Larry Brown elite and one of the best of all time?

Sure why not. Anyone else win a NCAA Natty and NBA finals as a coach? I remember that Kansas team with Danny Manning against the Sooners of Oklahoma with Stacey King and Mookie Blaylock. I was 8.

LB learned from Dean Smith so you know the dude can coach. His downfall is he’s been around forever and moved around a lot.


Great b-ball coach but I’ll take Pat Riley or Phil Jackson. I’d take Dean Smith over all of them tho. Interesting to see what Phil Jackson would have been with no Tex Winter

Danny & the Miracles. To this day what he did in '88 was the single most dominant March Madness run I've seen by one player.

As far as Dean Smith. I'd take him over any CBB coach. But in the NBA I'm going with Pop.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Larry Brown elite and one of the best of all time?

Sure why not. Anyone else win a NCAA Natty and NBA finals as a coach? I remember that Kansas team with Danny Manning against the Sooners of Oklahoma with Stacey King and Mookie Blaylock. I was 8.

LB learned from Dean Smith so you know the dude can coach. His downfall is he’s been around forever and moved around a lot.


Great b-ball coach but I’ll take Pat Riley or Phil Jackson. I’d take Dean Smith over all of them tho. Interesting to see what Phil Jackson would have been with no Tex Winter

And you know who Phil Jackson was a protégé of? Bill Fitch.

North Dakota... Look it up.

Larry Brown was an egomaniac, I'm sorry. There's a reason he coached so many teams...

 

[SJ76]

And you know who Phil Jackson was a protégé of? Bill Fitch.

North Dakota... Look it up.

Larry Brown was an egomaniac, I'm sorry. There's a reason he coached so many teams...

Fitch was a hippee? Or an Indian? no Tex Winter and Jordan averages 50 a game with no rings. Could have happened lol


Doesn’t matter LB is was a great coach.

 

[SJ76]

I don’t know LB. But he’s spreading a lot of b-ball knowledge around the country and the globe. He’s still coaching at Memphis under Penny? That’s awesome