Who's The Greatest New Orleans Pelicans Coach Ever?

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.

Here’s the stark reality about the New Orleans Pelicans: They’re not a franchise associated with winning.

One of the youngest teams in the NBA, the Pelicans came into existence when Charlotte Hornets owner George Shinn moved his team to New Orleans in 2002. The team would come to be known as the New Orleans Hornets for the next 11 seasons (with the exception of a two-year span in which they were known as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets).

In 2013, the team was rebranded as the New Orleans Pelicans, the name that endures to this day. Unfortunately, neither the city relocations nor the rebranding efforts have changed the fact that the team has struggled to put together winning seasons consistently.

Still, the Pelicans have been graced with the presence of extremely skilled players and top-tier coaches. This franchise has never reached a conference final, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the Pelicans’ head coaches have proven their tactical brilliance over the passage of time.

In 2004, Byron Scott took over as the franchise’s third head coach. In his five-year stint with the team, Scott set two records: He became the Pelicans’ winningest coach in the regular season (203 wins, to be precise) and also the only Pelicans coach to win the NBA Coach of the Year award.

Aside from Scott, only two other coaches have won more than 100 regular season games for the Pelicans. One of them is Alvin Gentry, who led the team from 2015 to 2020. Whereas Scott had Chris Paul and David West in his lineup, Gentry had the opportunity to coach Anthony Davis as he started to become a perennial All-Star.

The other coach to win 100+ regular season games in New Orleans was Willie Green. A journeyman during his playing years, Green earned the reputation of being a player’s coach during his time with the likes of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

Scott gets the nod as the greatest Pelicans coach ever. He has the win tally and the Red Auerbach trophy to back this claim.