The Best Dallas Mavericks Coaches Of All Time

Ranker NBA
Updated July 2, 2022
Over 80 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Dallas Mavericks Coaches Of All Time

Who are the best Dallas Mavericks coaches of all time? In their time as an NBA franchise, the Dallas Mavericks have gone through many different head coaches, all with different personalities and coaching styles. With that said, who is the best Dallas Mavericks coach of all time? Which Mavs head coaches did you love?

Rick Carlisle was the first to lead the franchise to an NBA Finals championship in 2011. He also leads the franchise in all time playoff victories. Avery Johnson was the first coach to lead the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. Johnson's Mavericks came up short in the 2006 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. Recently, Jason Kidd was hired to help get the franchise back to their winning ways.

Vote up the best Dallas Mavericks coaches of all time, and help us decide the best Mavericks head coaches ever.

Ranked by
  • Rick Carlisle
    1

    2008–2021    

    Richard Preston Carlisle ( KAR-lyle; born October 27, 1959) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has also served as head coach of the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. As a player, Carlisle played for the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets. He is also one of only 11 people to win an NBA championship both as a player and as a coach.
  • Don Nelson
    2

    Don Nelson

    43 votes

    1997–2005    

    Donald Arvid Nelson (born May 15, 1940), sometimes known as Nellie, is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA) player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors. After an All-American career at the University of Iowa, Nelson won five NBA Championships with the Boston Celtics and had his number 19 retired by the franchise. An innovator, Nelson is credited with, among other things, pioneering the concept of the point forward, a tactic which is frequently employed by teams at every level today. His unique brand of basketball is often referred to as Nellie Ball. He was named one of the Top 10 coaches in NBA history. On April 7, 2010, he passed Lenny Wilkens for first place on the all-time NBA wins list with his 1,333rd win. His all-time record coaching record was 1,335–1,063 (.557). Nelson was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
  • Dick Motta
    3

    Dick Motta

    29 votes

    1980–1987, 1994–1996    

    John Richard Motta (born September 3, 1931) is an American former basketball coach whose career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) spanned 25 years, and he continues to rank among the NBA's all-time top 10 in coaching victories.
  • Avery Johnson
    4

    2005–2008    

    Avery DeWitt Johnson (born March 25, 1965) is an American basketball coach who is the former head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team. Johnson spent 16 years in the National Basketball Association as a player, and subsequently served as the head coach of two NBA teams: the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets. He led the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance and to three consecutive 50+ win seasons. During his playing days, Johnson was known as the "Little General" for his small stature (by NBA standards), his leadership skills as a point guard (floor general), and his close friendship with former San Antonio Spurs teammate David Robinson - himself nicknamed "The Admiral" based on his tenure at the Naval Academy.
  • John MacLeod
    5

    John MacLeod

    19 votes

    1987–1989    

    John Matthew MacLeod (October 3, 1937 – April 14, 2019) was an American basketball coach in the NCAA and the National Basketball Association.
  • Jason Kidd
    6

    Jason Kidd

    8 votes

    2021 - 

    Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23, 1973) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Regarded as one of the greatest point guards and passers of all time, Kidd was a 10-time NBA All-Star, a five-time All-NBA First Team member, and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He won an NBA championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and was a two-time gold medal winner in the Olympics with the U.S. national team in 2000 and 2008. He was inducted as a player into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In October 2021, Kidd was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.