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NBA: Greatest head coach in each team’s franchise history

By Josh Cornelissen

Gregg Popovich, Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Gregg Popovich, Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Steve Nash, Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash, Mike D’Antoni, Phoenix Suns. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Greatest head coach in Phoenix Suns history: Mike D’Antoni, 2003-08

It’s possible to overthink a decision such as choosing the greatest coach in the history of the franchise. That can be especially true for a franchise such as the Phoenix Suns, which was founded in 1968 and has had many strong seasons and good coaches.

John MacLeod took the Suns to the playoffs nine times in 10 years during the 1970s and 1980s, winning a franchise-high 579 games in the process. Cotton Fitzsimmons twice went to the Western Conference Finals during the late 1980s. Paul Westphal coached a Charles Barkley-led squad to the 1993 NBA Finals a loss to the Chicago Bulls.

While all impressive, what Mike D’Antoni did as head coach of the Suns was not only win a lot of games but begin the transformation of NBA offense from a relatively static production to an innovative, statistically sound pursuit. His legacy as a coach is not simply 253 wins with the Suns, but a new way to look at offensive basketball.

In five seasons with the Suns, D’Antoni won 54 games or more four times, twice making it to the Western Conference Finals. The “Seven Seconds or Less” offense was dominant and captivating. D’Antoni helped develop point guard Steve Nash into an NBA MVP. While his teams never made it to the title game, his impact on the game while coaching the Suns makes him the choice here.