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

Greatest head coach in Washington Bullets history: Dick Motta, 1976-80

Another team that wants to hang its hat on past success over present failings, the Washington Wizards were once the Washington Bullets (and before that the Baltimore Bullets and before that the Chicago Zephyrs for a season). The history of the Bullets has a bit more success than that of the Wizards.

That success peaked in the late 1970s with Dick Motta, who led the franchise twice to the NBA Finals, winning the 1978 NBA Championship over the then-Seattle SuperSonics. Motta proved to be the perfect coach for star center Wes Unseld and forward Elvin Hayes.

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The Bullets had made it to the NBA Finals twice before, swept by Lew Alcindor and the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971 and by the Golden State Warriors in 1975. Motta and the 1978 team finally got the franchise over the hump.

In total, he won 185 regular-season games in his four seasons, a .564 winning percentage that remains the best in franchise history. He also won 27 playoff games, roughly twice the second-highest total.

What perhaps stands out the most of Motta’s success with the team is how bad the franchise has been since he coached them.

In 39 seasons since his time with the team, Washington has been to the playoffs just 15 times, winning only five series and never more than once in the same year. Motta’s time with the team was brief, but it was impactful all the more since it has not been even somewhat replicated.

From Gregg Popovich to Pat Riley, Phil Jackson to Red Auerbach, the NBA has had many incredibly talented and successful head coaches grace its sidelines. The past of the NBA is rich in personalities and history and its future could burn even brighter.