The NBA is definitely the pinnacle of basketball. No other league in the world comes close to the same peak of talent. It attracts the best players from all over the globe. But elite players need equally brilliant coaches to guide them to success. Without them, all the talent in the world is not enough.
Of course, not all coaches are good enough to cut it at the top. Sometimes they have the ability but struggle to react under the bright lights of the NBA. Others come from college programs and just weren’t able to adapt to the elite level. It’s beyond difficult to make it at the top.
So today, we’re going to look at 25 of the least effective coaches in NBA history. They came in looking smart and confident in their slick suits. But by the end of their reigns, they were quite the opposite. Check out the list below.
25. Wes Unseld
Hiring a franchise legend is a risky move for both the team and the player. Unfortunately for Unseld, that’s what a generation of fans remember. He’s the Washington Wizard’s greatest-ever player, but definitely not their best coach. In fact, you could make a case that he’s their worst ever.
Unseld took over in 1997 and led the team to six seasons of mediocrity. He averaged over 53 losses a year and only made the playoffs once. This is a team that went very stale during his time in charge. Things didn’t get much better when he was general manager, as they still averaged 47 losses per season.