The first Black head coach in NBA history, Russell led the Boston Celtics as a player-coach from 1966-1969, winning two championships during that time
Bird coached the Indiana Pacers from 1997-2000, winning Coach of the Year in 1998 and leading the team to the NBA Finals in 2000
As head coach of the Golden State Warriors since 2014, Kerr, a five-time NBA champion as a player, has won multiple titles as a coach and transformed the team into a dynasty
Though his coaching stint with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1994 was brief and unsuccessful, Johnson’s transition highlights the challenge of excelling both as a player and a coach
A Hall of Famer as both a player and coach, Wilkens is among the all-time winningest coaches, highlighted by an NBA title with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979
Kidd has coached multiple teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks, and remains active in the league today
After a solid playing career, Rivers became a successful coach, winning an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008
Known more for his coaching success with the Utah Jazz than his playing career, Sloan led the team to multiple deep playoff runs
A Celtics legend, Heinsohn was a key player in the 1950s and 60s and later won two titles as a coach
Another Celtics great, Jones won two championships as a coach in the 1980s, continuing his winning legacy from his playing days