Red Auerbach

American basketball coach and executive (1917–2006)

Red Auerbach

Red Auerbach in front of a collage created by his brother, Zang Auerbach

Personal information
Born| (1917-09-20)September 20, 1917
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Died| October 28, 2006(2006-10-28) (aged 89)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Listed height| 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Listed weight| 170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High school| Eastern District
(Brooklyn, New York)
College|

* Seth Low JC (1936–1937)
* George Washington (1937–1940)

Position| Guard
Coaching career| 1940–1966
Career history
As a player:
1943| Harrisburg Senators
As a coach:
1940| St. Albans School
1940–1943| Roosevelt HS
1946–1949| Washington Capitols
1949| Duke (assistant)
1949–1950| Tri-Cities Blackhawks
1950–1966| Boston Celtics
Career highlights
As head coach:

* 9× NBA champion (1957, 1959–1966)
* NBA Coach of the Year (1965)
* 11× NBA All-Star Game head coach (1957–1967)
* NBA anniversary team (25th, 35th)
* Top 10 Coaches in NBA History
* Top 15 Coaches in NBA History
* No. 2 retired by Boston Celtics

As executive:

* 7× NBA champion (1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986)
* NBA Executive of the Year (1980)

Career coaching record
NBA| 938–479 (.662)
Record at Basketball Reference
Basketball Hall of Fame

Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach (September 20, 1917 – October 28, 2006) was an American professional basketball coach and executive. As head coach, he led the Boston Celtics to eight consecutive NBA championships between 1959 to 1966.[1] On retiring in 1966, he held an NBA coaching record of 938 wins.[2] He served as general manager of the Celtics from 1966 to 1984, and later as President and Vice-Chairman of the Board. He won a combined 16 NBA titles in his 29 years with the Celtics, making him one of the most successful team officials in the history of North American professional sports.[3] He served as president of the Celtics until his death in 2006 at the age of 89.

Auerbach coached many players who were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.[4] He also played a key role in decreasing racial discrimination in the NBA. In 1950, he drafted Chuck Cooper, the NBA's first African-American player. In 1965, he introduced the first African-American starting five.[5] In 1966, he hired Bill Russell as the NBA's first African-American head coach.[6]

Auerbach was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969.[7] In 1980, the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America voted Auerbach the greatest coach in the NBA history.[8] He was also named NBA Executive of the Year in 1980.[7] Auerbach has been regarded as one of the NBA 10 Greatest Coaches in history, was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and had his number 2 jersey retired at TD Garden, the Celtics' stadium.[9]

## Early life

[edit]

Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on September 20, 1917. Auerbach was one of four children born to Marie and Hyman Auerbach. Hyman, a Russian-Jewish immigrant from Minsk, Soviet Union, arrived in the United States at age thirteen. He married American-born Marie Auerbach (née Thompson).[10] In Brooklyn, the couple first owned a delicatessen before transitioning into the dry-cleaning business. Their son, Auerbach, spent his childhood in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, playing basketball. He earned the nickname "Red" due to his distinctive flaming red hair and fiery temper.[3]

During the Great Depression, Auerbach played basketball as a guard at P.S. 122 and Eastern District High School,[11] where he was named "Second Team All-Brooklyn" by the World-Telegram in his senior year.

## College career

[edit]

After a season at Seth Low Junior College, Auerbach received an athletic scholarship to play for the George Washington Colonials men's basketball team in Washington, D.C.[3][12] Auerbach was regarded as a standout basketball player. Auerbach was a three-time letterman, team captain, and led the team in scoring in 1940. Auerbach graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1940, and a Master of Education in 1941.[10][13] In those years, Auerbach began to develop the technique known as the fast break. On February 4, 1943, Auerbach appeared in a game for the Harrisburg Senators of the American Basketball League (ABL) and scored one point.[14]

## Coaching career

[edit]

### St. Albans School (1941)

[edit]

In 1941, Auerbach began coaching basketball and teaching at the St. Albans School in Washington, D.C.[15]

Auerbach's Navy headshot, likely taken in late 1943.

### Roosevelt High School (1941–1943)

[edit]

Auerbach coached basketball and baseball and taught at Roosevelt High School in Washington, D.C. for two years.[10][16][17]

### United States Navy

[edit]

Auerbach enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June 1943. He served for three years as a Rehabilitation and Physical Training officer. He primarily served in a medical capacity at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.[17] Auerbach also coached at the Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia.[18] He was released from active duty as a Lieutenant (junior grade) in October 1946.[17]

### Washington Capitols (1946–1949)

[edit]

While with the U.S. Navy, Auerbach caught the eye of Washington millionaire Mike Uline, who hired him to coach the Washington Capitols in the newly founded Basketball Association of America (BAA), a predecessor to the NBA.[3]

In the 1946–47 BAA season, Auerbach led a fast break-oriented team built around early BAA star Bones McKinney and various ex-Navy players to a 49–11 win–loss record. Their record included a 17-game winning streak that stood as the single-season league record until 1969. In the playoffs, however, they were defeated by the Chicago Stags in six games.[10][19]

The following year the Capitols went 28–20[10] but were eliminated from the playoffs in a one-game Western Division tie-breaker.[3] In the 1948–49 season, the Capitols won their first fifteen games and finished at 38–22.[10] The team reached the BAA Finals but were beaten by the Minneapolis Lakers, led by Hall of Famer George Mikan. In the following season, the BAA and the rival National Basketball League merged to become the NBA, and Auerbach felt he had to rebuild his squad. However, owner Uline declined his proposals, and Auerbach resigned.[3]

### Duke Blue Devils (1949)

[edit]

After leaving the Capitols, Auerbach became assistant coach of the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team.[20] It was assumed that Auerbach would take over for head coach Gerry Gerard, who was battling cancer. During his tenure at Duke, Auerbach regularly worked with future All-American Dick Groat. Auerbach later wrote that he "felt pretty bad waiting for [Gerard] to die" and that it was "no way to get a job".[21]

### Tri-Cities Blackhawks (1949–1950)

[edit]

Auerbach left Duke after a few months when Ben Kerner, owner of the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, gave him the green light to rebuild the team from scratch. Auerbach traded more than two dozen players in just six weeks. The revamped Blackhawks ended the 1949–50 NBA season with a losing record of 28–29. Auerbach resigned when Kerner traded Auerbach's favorite player, John Mahnken.[3]

In 1950, Auerbach took a position as the athletic director of Kutsher's Hotel in the Catskills, NY. Kutsher's was the center of a summertime basketball league, and players from the New York City area would participate, playing for one of several local country clubs and hotels.[22]

### Boston Celtics (1950–1966)

[edit]

Before the 1950–51 NBA season, Walter Brown, owner of the Boston Celtics, was desperate to turn around his struggling and financially strapped franchise, which was reeling from a 22–46 record.[10] Brown hired Auerbach. In the 1950 NBA draft, Auerbach made some notable moves. First, he famously snubbed future Hall of Fame point guard Bob Cousy. He argued that Cousy lacked the poise necessary to make his team and called him a "local yokel".[3] Instead, he selected Bowling Green center Chuck Share with the first overall pick. Auerbach used the Celtics' second-round pick on Chuck Cooper, the first black player to be drafted into the NBA.[23] This pick effectively broke the color barrier in professional basketball.[24]

Entering the 1951 season, the Celtics core players were Ed Macauley, Bones McKinney and Bob Cousy. With Auerbach's fast-break tactics, the Celtics achieved a 39–30 record but lost in the 1951 NBA Playoffs to the New York Knicks. However, the relationship between Auerbach and Cousy improved when the coach help craft the young guard—an already outstanding dribbler and passer—into a great playmaker.[3]

In the following 1951–52 NBA season, the Celtics obtained guard Bill Sharman. Sharman, who was drafted in the second round of the 1950 NBA draft, played his rookie season with the Washington Capitols. When the Capitols folded after the 1950 season, Sharman was selected by the Fort Wayne Pistons in the dispersal draft and subsequently traded to the Celtics before the 1951 season. With the high-scoring Macauley, elite passer Cousy, and new prodigy Sharman, Auerbach had his team. Other notable players who joined the Celtics during these early years were forwards Frank Ramsey and Jim Loscutoff. For the next five seasons, the Celtics would make the playoffs every year but never won a title. The Celtics struggled in the playoffs, going 10–17 in the postseason from 1951 through 1956.[10] As Cousy put it: "we would get tired in the end and couldn't get the ball."[25] As a result, Auerbach sought a defensive big man who could get easy rebounds, initiate fast breaks, and close out games.[3]

Auerbach sitting on the bench next to rookie Bill Russell during a game at Boston Garden on December 26, 1956. Bob Cousy can be seen in the background.

On the day of the 1956 NBA draft, Auerbach acquired Bill Russell, a defensive rebounding center, via a draft-day trade with the rival St. Louis Hawks. Auerbach also selected forward Tom Heinsohn and guard K.C. Jones, two future Hall of Famers. Emphasizing team play rather than individual performances, and stressing that defense was more important than offense, Auerbach drilled his players to play tough defense and force opposing turnovers for easy fast-break points. Forward Tom “Satch” Sanders recalled, "defense and conditioning were the best parts of those teams".[25]

Anchored by Russell, the Celtics forced their opponents to take low-percentage shots from farther distances (there was no three-point arc at the time). This strategy allowed Auerbach's Celtics to take advantage on the fast break.[3] Auerbach also emphasized the need for role players like Frank Ramsey and John Havlicek, who became two of the first legitimate sixth men in NBA history,[25] a role later played by Don Nelson. Auerbach's recipe demoralized the opposition. From 1957 to 1966, the Celtics won nine of ten NBA championships. This included eight consecutive championships—the longest championship streak in North American sports—and six finals victories over the Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. The Celtics' dominance during this time denied perennial scoring and rebounding champion Wilt Chamberlain a title during Auerbach's coaching reign.[26]

In 1964, Auerbach sent out the first African-American starting five in NBA history. The players were Bill Russell, Willie Naulls, Tom Sanders, Sam Jones, and K.C. Jones. For the 1966–67 NBA season, Auerbach appointed Bill Russell as the first African-American coach in NBA history. Auerbach also popularized smoking a victory cigar whenever he thought a game was already decided, a habit that became a popular tradition in the Boston area.[25] Auerbach had a reputation as a fierce competitor. He often got into verbal altercations with officials and was frequented fined and ejected.[25]

Bill Russell next to head coach Red Auerbach after winning the 1966 NBA Finals.

Thirteen players who played for Auerbach have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame—Macauley, Ramsey, Cousy, Sharman, Heinsohn, Clyde Lovellette, Arnie Risen, Andy Phillip, John R. Thompson (as a coach), Russell, K.C. Jones, Havlicek, and Sam Jones.[3] Sharman, Heinsohn, and Russell would become three of only five people to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as both players and coaches.

Before the 1965–66 NBA season, Auerbach announced the coming year would be his last as coach, stating to the rest of the league, "This is your chance to take your last shot at me." After losing Game 1 of the 1966 Finals to the Lakers in overtime, he publicly named his successor, center Bill Russell.[27] The Celtics won the series in seven games.[28]

## Executive career

[edit]

### Boston Celtics (1966–2006)

[edit]

Russell took over as a player-coach for the 1966–67 NBA season, becoming the first African American head coach in the four major North American professional team sports.[3] While his pupil led the Celtics to two additional titles in 1968 and 1969, Auerbach rebuilt the aging Celtics with shrewd draft picks, namely future Hall of Famers Dave Cowens and Jo Jo White, as well as Paul Westphal and Don Chaney. With ex-player Tom Heinsohn coaching the Celtics and led by former sixth man John Havlicek, Auerbach's recruits won the Atlantic Division every year from 1972 to 1976, winning the NBA title in 1974 and 1976. Auerbach also signed veteran forward/center Paul Silas and ex-ABA star Charles Scott.[10]

However, Auerbach could not prevent the Celtics from going south at the end of the 1970s. He traded away both Silas and Westphal because they wanted salary increases that would have made them higher earners than what he believed to be the best player on the Celtics (Cowens), which was not acceptable to Auerbach. While the Westphal trade to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Charlie Scott was considered a success due to the Celtics' 13th title in 1976, Auerbach later admitted he erred in letting Silas go, even after Cowens personally begged him to give Silas a new deal. When Havlicek retired in 1978, the Celtics went 61–103 in two seasons.[10] In the summer of 1978, after the worst in a string of contentious clashes with several different owners after Walter Brown's passing in 1964, Auerbach hopped into a taxi to take him to Logan Airport, where he was to board a flight to New York to consider a lucrative contract offer from Knicks owner Sonny Werblin. However, the cab driver pleaded with him to stay, emphasizing how much Bostonians loved him and considered him their family.[29] Soon after, heading a team press conference, and with his typical bravado, Auerbach puffed on his trademark cigar and stated: "I'm not going anywhere. We're going to sign Larry Bird and we're going to be on top again." Despite knowing that Bird, a talented young player from unheralded Indiana State, had a year of college eligibility remaining, he had drafted Bird as a junior eligible in the 1978 NBA draft. He waited for a year until the future Hall of Fame forward Bird arrived, finally setting aside his team salary rules when it became clear that his choices were paying Bird a record-setting rookie salary or watching him re-enter the 1979 draft. Bird then became the highest-paid Celtic as a rookie, with a $650,000-per-year deal. Auerbach knew the brilliant, hard-working Bird would be the cornerstone of a new Celtics generation.[3]

In 1980, Auerbach pulled off what became known as "The Steal of The Century".[30] He convinced the Golden State Warriors to trade him a #3 overall pick and future Hall-of-Fame center Robert Parish in exchange for two picks in the 1980 NBA draft: #1 overall Joe Barry Carroll and the #13 pick Rickey Brown. With the #3 pick, Auerbach selected the player he most wanted in the draft, Kevin McHale, who would also be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Parish-McHale-Bird frontcourt became one of the greatest in NBA history. Auerbach also hired head coach Bill Fitch, who led the revamped Celtics to the 1981 title.

In 1983, Auerbach named former Celtics player K.C. Jones as the coach. Starting in 1984, Jones coached the Celtics to four straight appearances in the NBA Finals, winning championships in 1984 and 1986.

Auerbach, as a part-time side gig, was the color analyst on NBA and college basketball games for TBS Sports from 1982 to 1987.[31][32]

In 1984, after he relinquished his general managing duties to Jan Volk, Auerbach focused on continuing as president and later vice-chairman of the Boston Celtics.[10] In a surprising move after winning their 15th title, he traded popular guard Gerald Henderson, the Game 2 hero in the Finals against the Lakers, for Seattle's first-round draft pick in 1986. Two years later, after the Celtics defeated Houston in the finals for their 16th championship, he used the second overall pick in the 1986 draft, the pick acquired from Seattle, to take college prodigy Len Bias from Maryland, arguably the most brilliant coup in Auerbach's stellar career. With the team's star players still in their prime, the defending champions appeared set to compete at the top for years. However, tragedy struck just two days later, when Bias died of a cocaine overdose. Several years later, Celtics star player Reggie Lewis died suddenly in 1993. Without any league compensation for either loss, the team fell into decline, not seeing another Finals appearance in Auerbach's lifetime.[10]

In an interview, Auerbach confessed that he lost interest in big-time managing in the early 1990s, preferring to stay in the background and concentrating on his pastimes, racquetball and his cigar-smoking. He would, however, stay on with the Celtics as president until 1997, as vice chairman until 2001, and then became president again, a position he held until his death,[25] although in his final years, he was weakened by heart problems and often used a wheelchair.[33]

## Personal life

[edit]

Auerbach was honored on October 25, 2006, three days before his death, for his service in the Navy during World War II.

Auerbach was one of four children of American-born Marie Auerbach and Russian-Jewish immigrant Hyman Auerbach in Brooklyn. His brother Zang Auerbach, 4 years his junior, was a respected cartoonist and portraitist at the Washington Star.[26] Zang also helped create the iconic Boston Celtics leprechaun logo.[34]

Auerbach married Dorothy Lewis in the spring of 1941. The couple had two daughters, Nancy and Randy.[25] They also helped raise Nancy's daughter Julie.

Auerbach enjoyed smoking cigars. In the 1960s, some Boston restaurants displayed signs stating, "No cigar or pipe smoking, except for Red Auerbach".[25] In addition, Auerbach was well known for his love of Chinese food. In an interview shortly before his death, he explained that since the 1950s, Chinese takeout was the most convenient nutrition: NBA teams used to travel on regular flights and had a tight schedule, so filling up the stomach with heavier non-Chinese food meant wasting time and risking travel-sickness. Over the years, Auerbach became so fond of this food that he even became a part-owner of a Chinese restaurant in Boston.[26] Despite a heart operation, he remained active in his 80s, playing racquetball and making frequent public appearances.

Despite his fierce nature, Auerbach was popular among his players. He recalled that at his 75th birthday party, 45 of his former players showed up;[25] and when he turned 80, his perennial 1960s-era foe Wilt Chamberlain showed up, a gesture Auerbach dearly appreciated.[26]

In an interview with ESPN, Auerbach stated that his all-star fantasy team would consist of Bill Russell—who in the former's opinion was the ultimate player to start a franchise with—as well as Bob Pettit, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West, with John Havlicek as the sixth man. As for the greatest basketball players of all time, Auerbach's candidates were Russell, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Jordan. Auerbach made multiple such "all-time" rankings over the years, with his last one being in June 2006, months before his death. Auerbach talked about his fictional team with journalist Ken Shouler which featured the following: Abdul-Jabbar, Chamberlain, and Russell at center; Bird, Erving, Pettit, and Baylor at forward; and Robertson, Jordan, Havlicek, Johnson, and Cousy at guard.[25]

Auerbach was elected to the American Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. In 1993, Auerbach received an honorary Doctor of Public Service from George Washington University.[13]

### Death

[edit]

Auerbach died of a heart attack on October 28, 2006, at the age of 89.[35] NBA commissioner David Stern said, "The void caused by his death will never be filled." Players Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, John Havlicek and Larry Bird, as well as contemporaries like Jerry West, Pat Riley, and Wayne Embry, universally hailed Auerbach as one of the greatest personalities in NBA history.[33] Bird stated, "Red shared our passion for the game, our commitment to excellence, and our desire to do whatever it takes to win." Auerbach was survived by his daughters Nancy and Randy; his granddaughter Julie; and his great-grandchildren Peter, Hope and Noelle. Auerbach was interred in Falls Church, Virginia, at King David Memorial Gardens within National Memorial Park on October 31, 2006. Attendees included basketball dignitaries Bill Russell, Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge, and David Stern.[36]

During the 2006–07 NBA season, NBA TV and NBA.com aired reruns of Auerbach's four-minute instructional videos known as "Red on Roundball" previously aired during NBA on CBS halftime shows in the 1970s and 1980s, and as a testament to his importance in the Boston sports world, the Boston Red Sox honored Auerbach at their April 20, 2007 game against the New York Yankees by wearing green uniforms and by hanging replicated Celtics championship banners on the "Green Monster" at Fenway Park. Boston won 7–6.[37][38]

Before Boston's season opener against the Wizards, his signature was officially placed on the parquet floor near center court, thereby naming the court as "Red Auerbach Parquet Floor". The ceremony was attended by his daughter Randy and Celtics legends. The signature replaced the Red Auerbach memorial logo used during the 2007 season.[39]

## Writing

[edit]

Auerbach was the author of seven books. His first, Basketball for the Player, the Fan and Coach, has been translated into seven languages and is the best-selling basketball book in print.[3] His second book, co-authored with Paul Sann, was Winning the Hard Way. He also wrote a pair of books with Joe Fitzgerald: Red Auerbach: An Autobiography and Red Auerbach On and Off the Court. In October 1991, M.B.A.: Management by Auerbach was co-authored with Ken Dooley. In 1994, Seeing Red was written with Dan Shaughnessy. In October 2004, his last book, Let Me Tell You a Story, was co-authored with sports journalist John Feinstein.

## Legacy

[edit]

Auerbach is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history.[40] The NBA's Coach of the Year Award is named in his honour. Auerbach is remembered as a shrewd coach and executive with a fierce sense of loyalty to his players.[41] Many of his former players, including Bill Russell and Don Nelson, became successful coaches in the NBA.

In 1985, the Celtics retired a number 2 jersey with Auerbach's name, to recognize his significant contributions to the franchise.[42]

In 1985, the Boston Celtics retired the #2 jersey with Auerbach's name.

In 1985, a statue of Auerbach was unveiled outside of Quincy Market in Downtown Boston[43]

Auerbach was included in the 2008 documentary The First Basket, which chronicles the history of Jews in Basketball.[44]

In 2018, the Celtics opened the Red Auerbach Center as the team's new practice facility and headquarters.[45]

### Coaching pioneer

[edit]

Auerbach favoured the fast break strategy, which involved a quick outlet pass to fast-moving guards who attempted to score before the opposing team could re-establish its defensive position.[3] Auerbach is credited for transforming basketball into a team sport that emphasized defence.[46] He also invented the concept of the role player and the sixth man,[3][47] stating: "Individual honors are nice, but no Celtic has ever gone out of his way achieving them. We have never had the league's top scorer. We won seven league championships without placing even one among the league's top 10 scorers. Our pride was never rooted in statistics."[10]

Auerbach is remembered for his unique tactics, which have been described as "psychological warfare." He attempted to provoke opposing players and officials with unabashed trash talk. He was ejected more often and received more fines than any other coach in NBA history.[25] One notable incident came during a preseason game in 1983, when Auerbach stormed the court and screamed nose-to-nose with the 6'10" 260-pound Moses Malone. Auerbach was softer with his own players. Earl Lloyd, the first black player to play in the NBA, said: "Red Auerbach convinced his players that he loved them... so all they wanted to do was please him."[25]

### Arnold "Red" Auerbach Award

[edit]

The Celtics have internally awarded the Arnold "Red" Auerbach Award since 2006, which recognizes a player or coach who "best exemplifies the spirit and meaning of a true Celtic."[48]

## NBA coach statistics

[edit]

Legend  Regular season  | G  | Games coached  | W  | Games won  | L  | Games lost  | W–L %  | Win–loss %

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Playoffs  | PG  | Playoff games  | PW  | Playoff wins  | PL  | Playoff losses  | PW–L %  | Playoff win–loss %
Team  | Year  | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish  | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Washington | 1946–47 | 60 | 49 | 11 | .817 | 1st in Eastern | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333  | Lost in BAA semifinals
Washington | 1947–48 | 48 | 28 | 20 | .583 | 2nd in Western (tie) | - | - | - | –  | Lost division tiebreaker
Washington | 1948–49 | 60 | 38 | 22 | .633 | 2nd in Eastern | 11 | 6 | 5 | .545  | Lost in BAA Finals
Tri-Cities | 1949–50 | 57 | 28 | 29 | .491 | 2nd in Eastern | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333  | Lost in Division semifinals
Boston | 1950–51 | 69 | 39 | 30 | .565 | 2nd in Eastern | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000  | Lost in Division semifinals
Boston | 1951–52 | 66 | 39 | 27 | .591 | 2nd in Eastern | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333  | Lost in Division semifinals
Boston | 1952–53 | 71 | 46 | 25 | .648 | 3rd in Eastern | 6 | 3 | 3 | .500  | Lost in Division finals
Boston | 1953–54 | 72 | 42 | 30 | .583 | 3rd in Eastern | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000  | Lost in Division finals
Boston | 1954–55 | 72 | 36 | 36 | .500 | 4th in Eastern | 7 | 3 | 4 | .429  | Lost in Division finals
Boston | 1955–56 | 72 | 39 | 33 | .542 | 2nd in Eastern | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333  | Lost in Division semifinals
Boston | 1956–57 | 72 | 44 | 28 | .611 | 1st in Eastern | 10 | 7 | 3 | .700  | Won NBA Championship
Boston | 1957–58 | 72 | 49 | 23 | .681 | 1st in Eastern | 11 | 6 | 5 | .545  | Lost in NBA Finals
Boston | 1958–59 | 72 | 52 | 20 | .722 | 1st in Eastern | 11 | 8 | 3 | .727  | Won NBA Championship
Boston | 1959–60 | 75 | 59 | 16 | .787 | 1st in Eastern | 13 | 8 | 5 | .615  | Won NBA Championship
Boston | 1960–61 | 79 | 57 | 22 | .722 | 1st in Eastern | 10 | 8 | 2 | .800  | Won NBA Championship
Boston | 1961–62 | 80 | 60 | 20 | .750 | 1st in Eastern | 14 | 8 | 6 | .571  | Won NBA Championship
Boston | 1962–63 | 80 | 58 | 22 | .725 | 1st in Eastern | 13 | 8 | 5 | .615  | Won NBA Championship
Boston | 1963–64 | 80 | 59 | 21 | .738 | 1st in Eastern | 10 | 8 | 2 | .800  | Won NBA Championship
Boston | 1964–65 | 80 | 62 | 18 | .775 | 1st in Eastern | 12 | 8 | 4 | .667  | Won NBA Championship
Boston | 1965–66 | 80 | 54 | 26 | .675 | 2nd in Eastern | 17 | 11 | 6 | .647  | Won NBA Championship
Career |  | 1417 | 938 | 479 | .662 |  | 168 | 99 | 69 | .589

## See also

[edit]

* The First Basket
* List of select Jewish basketball players
* List of NBA championship head coaches
* List of coaches in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
* List of Boston Celtics head coaches
* Statue of Red Auerbach
* Auerbach Center

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Red Auerbach | NBA Champion, Celtics Coach, Basketball Innovator | Britannica". www.britannica.com. February 11, 2025. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
2. ^ "ESPN Classic - Auerbach's Celtics played as a team". www.espn.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Red Auerbach biography". JockBio.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
4. ^ Writer, JOSEPH WHITE AP Sports. "Hall of Fame coach Auerbach dies". Gadsden Times. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
5. ^ "Black History Month: List of first Black players to reach NBA milestones". NBA.com. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
6. ^ "NBA Legend Bill Russell Became First Black Coach in Pro Sports 46 Years Ago Today". April 18, 2012.
7. ^ a b May, Peter (October 29, 2006). "Auerbach, pride of the Celtics, dies". Boston.com. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
8. ^ Goldstein, Richard (October 29, 2006). "Red Auerbach, Who Built Basketball Dynasty, Dies at 89". The New York Times. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
9. ^ "Retired numbers for the Boston Celtics | NBA.com". NBA. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Hilton, Lisette. "Auerbach's Celtics played as a team". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
11. ^ "Red Auerbach". Encyclopedia.com. May 9, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
12. ^ Sporting News Official NBA Register, 2002–2003 Edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Sporting News. 2002. p. 446\. ISBN 0892046821.
13. ^ a b "Arnold (Red) Auerbach (1959) - Hall of Fame". George Washington University Athletics. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
14. ^ "Margin Gained in Second Stanza by Sphas Wins Fray". The Evening News. February 5, 1943. p. 11. Retrieved March 31, 2025 - via Newspapers.com.
15. ^ "About 1". Washington Metropolitan Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
16. ^ "Remember when – Red Auerbach?". Lowell Sun. May 7, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
17. ^ a b c "Auerbach, Arnold ("Red") | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
18. ^ "Red Auerbach". Pro Basketball Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
19. ^ "1947 BAA Semifinals – Stags vs. Capitols".
20. ^ "Auerbach Takes Duke Post". The Boston Daily Globe. July 1, 1949.
21. ^ Sumner, Jim (2005). Tales from the Duke Blue Devils Locker Room: A Collection of the Greatest Duke Basketball Stories Ever Told. Sports Publishing. ISBN 9781613219607.
22. ^ Sommerstein irst=David (September 6, 2014). "Remembering Kutsher's, Where Pro Athletes, Vacationers Mingled". wbur.org. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
23. ^ "Chuck Cooper, one of the NBA's first Black players". The African American Registry. Archived from the original on July 1, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
24. ^ Ryan, Bob (October 30, 2006). "Red was just full of color". Boston.com. Retrieved July 10, 2007.`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
25. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Shouler, Ken. "The Consummate Coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
26. ^ a b c d Feinstein, Ron. "Red Auerbach: True Stories and NBA Legends". NPR.org. NPR. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
27. ^ "Celtics Hire Bill Russell as first Black Head Coach in NBA History - The Sports Museum". www.sportsmuseum.org. February 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
28. ^ Quinn, Justin. "On this day: Celtics icon Red Auerbach retires as coach, 1966 championship won". Celtics Wire. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
29. ^ "The Road Not Taken". Sports Illustrated Vault | Si.com.
30. ^ Bballbreakdown – How Red Auerbach Stole Parish and McHale on YouTube
31. ^ "Double-Teamed Cunningham Deals with Tv, Heat". May 16, 1988.
32. ^ Turner's 'Dream Game' Was a Rude Awakening – The Washington Post
33. ^ a b "A Tribute to Red". NBA.com. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
34. ^ "Introducing Lucky the Leprechaun". BostonCelticsHistory.com. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
35. ^ "Red Auerbach Biography – life, family, parents, name, history, school, mother, son, born, college, contract, house, time, year, Parents Were Russian Immigrants". Notablebiographies.com. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
36. ^ "A simple goodbye to Celts' Auerbach". Barre Montpelier Times Argus. November 1, 2006. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
37. ^ McPhillips, Alex (April 20, 2007). "Red Sox honor Auerbach with green". MLB.com. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
38. ^ Elman, Jake (March 17, 2020). "Why Do the Boston Red Sox Wear Green Jerseys on St. Patrick's Day?". Sportscasting. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
39. ^ "Parquet Magazine: New Court, Old Flair | Boston Celtics". www.nba.com. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
40. ^ "NBA 75: 15 Greatest Coaches | NBA.com". NBA. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
41. ^ "A Man For All Seasons". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
42. ^ Quinn, Justin; read, Celtics Wire·2 min (March 2, 2025). "Boston Celtics jersey history No. 2 - Arnold "Red" Auerbach". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 22, 2025.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
43. ^ "Red Auerbach, (sculpture)". siris-artinventories.si.edu. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
44. ^ Vyorst, David, The First Basket (Documentary, Sport), Red Auerbach, Peter Riegert, Ossie Schectman, retrieved July 22, 2025
45. ^ "With Auerbach Center, C's Now Own Practice Facility Supremacy in NBA | Boston Celtics". www.nba.com. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
46. ^ Landrigan, Leslie (January 12, 2014). "How Red Auerbach Turned Boston Into a Basketball Town". New England Historical Society. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
47. ^ Creator of the Sixth Man Talks About Game's Best
48. ^ "Celtics and Red Auerbach Unveil the "Red Auerbach Award"". nba.com. March 20, 2006. Retrieved October 24, 2024.

## Notes

[edit]

* Obituary (January 19, 2007), Jewish Chronicle, p. 45
* Halberstam, David. The Breaks of the Game. Random House. 1981

## External links

[edit]

Red Auerbach at Wikipedia's sister projects

* Media from Commons
* Quotations from Wikiquote

* Basketball Hall of Fame profile
* Info page from Boston Celtics official site
* Red Auerbach at Find a Grave
* Coaching statistics at basketball-reference.com
* Red Auerbach at IMDb

Preceded by

Jack Waldron

|  President of the Boston Celtics
1970–1997  | Succeeded by

Rick Pitino

|
|

Preceded by

Rick Pitino

|  President of the Boston Celtics
2001–2006  | Succeeded by

Rich Gotham

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

Washington Capitols head coaches

* Red Auerbach (1946–1949)
* Bob Feerick (1949–1950)
* Bones McKinney (1950–1951)

* v
* t
* e

Atlanta Hawks head coaches

* Nat Hickey * (1946–1948)
* Bobby McDermott (1948–1949)
* Roger Potter (1949)
* Red Auerbach (1949–1950)
* Dave MacMillan (1950)
* Johnny Logan *# (1950)
* Mike Todorovich * (1950–1951)
* Doxie Moore (1951–1952)
* Andrew Levane * (1952–1954)
* Red Holzman * (1954–1957)
* Slater Martin *# (1957)
* Alex Hannum * (1957–1958)
* Andy Phillip (1958)
* Ed Macauley * (1958–1960)
* Paul Seymour (1960–1961)
* Andrew Levane (1961–1962)
* Bob Pettit * (1962)
* Harry Gallatin (1962–1964)
* Richie Guerin * (1964–1972)
* Cotton Fitzsimmons (1972–1976)
* Bumper Tormohlen # (1976)
* Hubie Brown (1976–1981)
* Mike Fratello # (1981)
* Kevin Loughery (1981–1984)
* Mike Fratello (1984–1990)
* Bob Weiss (1990–1993)
* Lenny Wilkens (1993–2000)
* Lon Kruger (2000–2002)
* Terry Stotts (2002–2004)
* Mike Woodson (2004–2010)
* Larry Drew (2010–2013)
* Mike Budenholzer (2013–2018)
* Lloyd Pierce (2018–2021)
* Nate McMillan (2021–2023)
* Joe Prunty # (2023)
* Quin Snyder (2023– )

* denotes player-coach; # denotes interim head coach

* v
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* e

Boston Celtics head coaches

* Honey Russell (1946–1948)
* Doggie Julian (1948–1950)
* Red Auerbach (1950–1966)
* Bill Russell (1966–1969)
* Tom Heinsohn (1969–1978)
* Satch Sanders (1978)
* Dave Cowens (1978–1979)
* Bill Fitch (1979–1983)
* K.C. Jones (1983–1988)
* Jimmy Rodgers (1988–1990)
* Chris Ford (1990–1995)
* M. L. Carr (1995–1997)
* Rick Pitino (1997–2001)
* Jim O'Brien (2001–2004)
* John Carroll (2004)
* Doc Rivers (2004–2013)
* Brad Stevens (2013–2021)
* Ime Udoka (2021–2022)
* Joe Mazzulla (2022– )

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics general managers

* Walter A. Brown (1946–1951)
* Red Auerbach (1951–1984)
* Jan Volk (1984–1990)
* Dave Gavitt (1990–1994)
* M. L. Carr (1994–1997)
* Rick Pitino (1997–2001)
* Chris Wallace (2001–2003)
* Danny Ainge (2003–2021)
* Brad Stevens (2021–present)

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics 1956–57 NBA champions

* 6 Russell
* 14 Cousy
* 15 Heinsohn
* 16 Nichols
* 17 Phillip
* 18 Loscutoff
* 19 Risen
* 20 Hemric
* 21 Sharman
* 23 Ramsey
* 29 Tsioropoulos

* Head coach: Auerbach

* Regular season
* Playoffs

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics 1958–59 NBA champions

* 6 Russell
* 14 Cousy
* 15 Heinsohn
* 16 Swain
* 17 Conley
* 18 Loscutoff
* 21 Sharman
* 23 Ramsey
* 24 S. Jones
* 25 K. Jones
* 29 Tsioropoulos

* Head coach: Auerbach

* Regular season
* Playoffs

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics 1959–60 NBA champions

* 6 Russell
* 14 Cousy
* 15 Heinsohn
* 16 Richter
* 17 Conley
* 18 Loscutoff
* 20 Guarilia
* 21 Sharman
* 23 Ramsey
* 24 S. Jones
* 25 K. Jones

* Head coach: Auerbach

* Regular season
* Playoffs

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics 1960–61 NBA champions

* 6 Russell
* 14 Cousy
* 15 Heinsohn
* 16 Sanders
* 17 Conley
* 18 Loscutoff
* 20 Guarilia
* 21 Sharman
* 23 Ramsey
* 24 S. Jones
* 25 K. Jones

* Head coach: Auerbach

* Regular season
* Playoffs

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics 1961–62 NBA champions

* 4 Braun
* 6 Russell
* 14 Cousy
* 15 Heinsohn
* 16 Sanders
* 18 Loscutoff
* 20 Guarilia
* 21 Phillips
* 23 Ramsey
* 24 S. Jones
* 25 K. Jones

* Head coach: Auerbach

* Regular season
* Playoffs

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics 1962–63 NBA champions

* 4 Lovellette
* 6 Russell
* 12 Swartz
* 14 Cousy
* 15 Heinsohn
* 16 Sanders
* 17 Havlicek
* 18 Loscutoff
* 20 Guarilia
* 23 Ramsey
* 24 S. Jones
* 25 K. Jones

* Head coach: Auerbach

* Regular season
* Playoffs

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics 1963–64 NBA champions

* 4 Lovellette
* 6 Russell
* 12 Naulls
* 15 Heinsohn
* 16 Sanders
* 17 Havlicek
* 18 Loscutoff
* 20 Siegfried
* 21 McCarthy
* 23 Ramsey
* 24 S. Jones
* 25 K. Jones

* Head coach: Auerbach

* Regular season
* Playoffs

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics 1964–65 NBA champions

* 6 Russell
* 11 Counts
* 12 Naulls
* 15 Heinsohn
* 16 Sanders
* 17 Havlicek
* 18 Thompson
* 20 Siegfried
* 21 Bonham
* 24 S. Jones
* 25 K. Jones

* Head coach: Auerbach

* Regular season
* Playoffs

* v
* t
* e

Boston Celtics 1965–66 NBA champions

* 5 Thompson
* 6 Russell
* 11 Counts
* 12 Naulls
* 14 Watts
* 16 Sanders
* 17 Havlicek
* 18 Sauldsberry
* 19 Nelson
* 20 Siegfried
* 21 Bonham
* 24 S. Jones
* 25 K. Jones

* Head coach: Auerbach

* Regular season
* Playoffs

* v
* t
* e

NBA Coach of the Year Award

* 1963: Gallatin
* 1964: Hannum
* 1965: Auerbach
* 1966: Schayes
* 1967: J. Kerr
* 1968: Guerin
* 1969: Shue
* 1970: Holzman
* 1971: Motta
* 1972: Sharman
* 1973: Heinsohn
* 1974: R. Scott
* 1975: P. Johnson
* 1976: Fitch
* 1977: Nissalke
* 1978: H. Brown
* 1979: Fitzsimmons
* 1980: Fitch
* 1981: McKinney
* 1982: Shue
* 1983: Nelson
* 1984: Layden
* 1985: Nelson
* 1986: Fratello
* 1987: Schuler
* 1988: Moe
* 1989: Fitzsimmons
* 1990: Riley
* 1991: Chaney
* 1992: Nelson
* 1993: Riley
* 1994: Wilkens
* 1995: Harris
* 1996: Jackson
* 1997: Riley
* 1998: Bird
* 1999: Dunleavy
* 2000: Rivers
* 2001: L. Brown
* 2002: Carlisle
* 2003: Popovich
* 2004: H. Brown
* 2005: D'Antoni
* 2006: A. Johnson
* 2007: Mitchell
* 2008: B. Scott
* 2009: M. Brown
* 2010: Brooks
* 2011: Thibodeau
* 2012: Popovich
* 2013: Karl
* 2014: Popovich
* 2015: Budenholzer
* 2016: S. Kerr
* 2017: D'Antoni
* 2018: Casey
* 2019: Budenholzer
* 2020: Nurse
* 2021: Thibodeau
* 2022: Williams
* 2023: M. Brown
* 2024: Daigneault
* 2025: Atkinson

* v
* t
* e

NBA Executive of the Year

* 1973: Axelson
* 1974: Donovan
* 1975: Vertlieb
* 1976: J. Colangelo
* 1977: Patterson
* 1978: Drossos
* 1979: Ferry
* 1980: Auerbach
* 1981: J. Colangelo
* 1982: Ferry
* 1983: Volchok
* 1984: Layden
* 1985: Boryla
* 1986: Kasten
* 1987: Kasten
* 1988: Krause
* 1989: J. Colangelo
* 1990: Bass
* 1991: Buckwalter
* 1992: Embry
* 1993: J. Colangelo
* 1994: Whitsitt
* 1995: West
* 1996: Krause
* 1997: Bass
* 1998: Embry
* 1999: Petrie
* 2000: Gabriel
* 2001: Petrie
* 2002: Thorn
* 2003: Dumars
* 2004: West
* 2005: B. Colangelo
* 2006: Baylor
* 2007: B. Colangelo
* 2008: Ainge
* 2009: Warkentien
* 2010: Hammond
* 2011: Forman & Riley
* 2012: Bird
* 2013: Ujiri
* 2014: Buford
* 2015: Myers
* 2016: Buford
* 2017: Myers
* 2018: Morey
* 2019: Horst
* 2020: Frank
* 2021: Jones
* 2022: Kleiman
* 2023: McNair
* 2024: Stevens
* 2025: Presti

* v
* t
* e

National Basketball Association's Top 10 Coaches in NBA History

* Red Auerbach
* Chuck Daly
* Bill Fitch
* Red Holzman
* Phil Jackson
* John Kundla
* Don Nelson
* Jack Ramsay
* Pat Riley
* Lenny Wilkens

* v
* t
* e

National Basketball Association's Top 15 Coaches in NBA History

* Red Auerbach
* Larry Brown
* Chuck Daly
* Red Holzman
* Phil Jackson
* K.C. Jones
* Steve Kerr
* Don Nelson
* Gregg Popovich
* Jack Ramsay
* Pat Riley
* Doc Rivers
* Jerry Sloan
* Erik Spoelstra
* Lenny Wilkens

* v
* t
* e

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1969

Players|

* Dutch Dehnert

Coaches|

* Red Auerbach
* Henry Iba
* Adolph Rupp

Contributors|

* Chuck Taylor

* v
* t
* e

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame members

Players|

| Guards|

* R. Allen
* Archibald
* Barnett
* Beckman
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* Bing
* S. Bird
* Blazejowski
* Borgmann
* Braun
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* Bryant
* Carter
* Cervi
* Cheeks
* Clayton
* Cooper-Dyke
* Cousy
* Dampier
* Davies
* Drexler
* Dumars
* Edwards
* Endacott
* Frazier
* Friedman
* Galis
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* Goodrich
* Greer
* Grentz
* Guerin
* Hammon
* Hanson
* Hardaway
* Haynes
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* Iverson
* Jeannette
* Jenkins
* D. Johnson
* M. Johnson
* K. Jones
* S. Jones
* Jordan
* Kidd
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* Maravich
* Marcari
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* Martin
* McDermott
* McGrady
* D. McGuire
* Meyers
* R. Miller
* Moncrief
* Monroe
* P. Moore
* C. Murphy
* Nash
* Page
* Parker
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* Petrović
* Phillip
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* Schommer
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* Staley
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* Timms
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|

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* McClain
* B. McCracken
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* C. Miller
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* Mullin
* Nowitzki
* Pettit
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* E. Schmidt
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Centers|

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* Gilmore
* Griffith
* Gruenig
* Harris-Stewart
* Houbregs
* Howard
* Issel
* Jackson
* W. Johnson
* Johnston
* M. Krause
* Kurland
* Lanier
* Leslie
* Lovellette
* Lapchick
* Macauley
* Maciel
* M. Malone
* McAdoo
* Meneghin
* Mikan
* Mourning
* S. Murphy
* Mutombo
* Olajuwon
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* Parish
* Reed
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Coaches|

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* Dean
* Díaz-Miguel
* Diddle
* Donovan
* Drake
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* Ferrándiz
* Fitch
* Fitzsimmons
* Gaines
* Gamba
* Gardner
* Gaze
* Gill
* Gomelsky
* Gunter
* Hannum
* Harshman
* Haskins
* Hatchell
* Heinsohn
* Hickey
* Hixon
* Hobson
* Holzman
* Huggins
* Hughes
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* Iba
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* P. Jackson
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* Karl
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* Lambert
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* McGraw
* A. McGuire
* F. McGuire
* McLendon
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* Meyer
* Miller
* B. Moore
* Mulkey
* Nelson
* Nikolić
* Novosel
* Olson
* Pitino
* Popovich
* Ramsay
* Redin
* Richardson
* Riley
* Rubini
* Rupp
* Rush
* B. Russell
* Ryan
* Sachs
* Self
* Sharman
* Shelton
* Sloan
* C. Smith
* D. Smith
* Stanley
* Stevens
* Stringer
* Summitt
* Sutton
* Tarkanian
* Taylor
* Teague
* J. Thompson
* Tomjanovich
* VanDerveer
* Wade
* Watts
* Wilkens
* G. Williams
* R. Williams
* Wooden
* Woolpert
* Wootten
* Wright
* Yow

Contributors|

* Abbott
* Ackerman
* Arison
* Attles
* Barksdale
* Baumann
* Bee
* Biasone
* H. Brown
* W. Brown
* Bunn
* Buss
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* Sanders
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* Simon
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* Stagg
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* Tower
* Trester
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Referees|

* Bavetta
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Teams|

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Personnel|

Owner(s)
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General manager
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Head coach
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G League affiliate|

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Retired numbers|

* 00
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NBA championships|

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*[G]: Games
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*[W–L%]: Win–loss perecentage
*[PG]: Playoff games
*[PW]: Playoff games won
*[PL]: Playoff games lost
*[PW–L%]: Playoff games win–loss percentage
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