4. Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers
Surprised to see Rick Carlisle in the top 5? Don’t be. Carlisle is the second-most tenured active NBA coach (21 seasons). He also ranks second among active NBA head coaches in wins (896) and playoff appearances (14). Carlisle also led the Dallas Mavericks to the franchise’s lone NBA Championship in 2011 by defeating the heavily favored Miami Heat.
Carlisle is an underrated coach who is one of the game’s better teachers. He has been asked to lead rebuilding teams, develop young players, and instill winning habits. Winning habits eventually lead to a winning culture. The Detroit Pistons may have won a championship under Larry Brown in 2004, but it was Carlisle who established a winning culture in Detroit before Brown took over.
Carlisle has also been successful because his offensive is random. Not only do his opponents not know what’s coming next, neither do his own players. At the same time, Carlisle is great at making adjustments while keeping things simple. His Pacers team was one of the league’s biggest surprises last season. Don’t be shocked if they take another step forward next season.