Who's The Greatest Coach In Washington Wizards History?

In this series, we’ll take a look at the illustrious list of head coaches in each NBA franchise’s history. To make a case for ‘greatest coach,’ we’ll look at win-loss record, player development, and (most importantly) team accomplishments under that coach’s tutelage.

The Washington Wizards weren’t always a laughingstock, as they are now.

The peak of their powers was a 20-year period from 1966 to 1986. During this time, the Wizards had plenty of regular season wins, a healthy supply of star power, and multiple name changes. To cap it all off, they reigned atop the league as NBA champions in the late 70s.

With all due respect to the other gifted minds that called the shots in subsequent decades, this time frame produced the top contenders for best coaches in the history of the Wizards franchise. If the present team can replicate some of the best practices of that 20-year span, perhaps they wouldn’t have to dwell in the cellar for so long.

In terms of regular season victories, the winningest Wizards coach ever is Gene Shue, a five-time NBA All-Star in his playing days. Back when the team was known as the Baltimore Bullets, Shue racked up 291 regular season wins and bagged the Coach of the Year award in 1969. 11 years later, the team (now based in Washington) ran it back with Shue, who went on to add 231 more wins to his regular season tally.

Shue’s successor after his first stint was K.C. Jones. An eight-time NBA champion with the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics, Jones kept the Bullets in great shape as a playoff contender, leading the team to three consecutive second-round appearances. In 1975, Jones steered a team that featured Elvin Hayes, Phil Chenier, and Wes Unseld to the NBA Finals.

That team, however, was swept by Rick Barry’s Golden State Warriors. Three years later, Dick Motta would finally get over the hump. Leaning on Hayes and Bob Dandridge, Motta orchestrated a thrilling Game 7 victory to conquer the 1978 NBA Finals. To this day, the championship that Motta won at the expense of the Seattle SuperSonics is the only NBA title in Wizards franchise history.

It’s a tough decision between Shue and Motta, but the nod goes to the only champion head coach in the Wizards’ record books. Motta also happens to be just one of two Wizards coaches to compile a winning record in the playoffs. For these reasons, Motta can be considered the greatest Wizards coach ever.