Sports Illustrated’s NBA 100 ranking is back ahead of the 2025–26 season. Along with the top 100 NBA players, we also ranked the top five coaches below.
NBA 100: Nos. 100–51, Nos. 50–11 and the top 10 will be unveiled on Thursday.
1. Rick Carlisle, Pacers
In 2011, he guided the Mavericks to a title behind Dirk Nowitzki’s half-court game. Last season Indiana and its free-flowing offense came within one win of a second championship for Carlisle. That’s adaptability.
2. Erik Spoelstra, Heat
Spo’s Heat have had top 10 defenses in 13 of his 17 seasons—and in two others they finished 11th. He is widely admired for his creativity and play-calling in big moments. No coach squeezes more out of less.
3. Mark Daigneault, Thunder
Daigneault has two coveted skills: player development (see Oklahoma City’s early years) and game management (see its later ones). No wonder he has a title and complete buy-in from a roster loaded with young talent.
4. Tyronn Lue, Clippers
The superstar whisperer has forged fruitful partnerships with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in Cleveland and Kawhi Leonard and James Harden in L.A. And Lue has shown a knack for coaching through adversity.
5. Ime Udoka, Rockets
After steering Boston to the 2022 NBA Finals, Udoka generated a 19-win improvement and then a 52-win season in his first two years in Houston. Players love his blunt, no-nonsense approach.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA 100: Ranking the Top Five Coaches for 2025–26.
