Winning an NBA championship marks the end of a long season that includes 82 regular-season games, multiple playoff rounds, and roster changes due to injuries or trades.
Below is a breakdown of coaches with the most NBA titles, as well as the individuals with the most total championships as players and coaches.
Which NBA Coach has the most rings?
Phil Jackson holds the NBA record for most championships by a coach, winning 11 titles. He won six with the Chicago Bulls (1991–93, 1996–98) and five with the Los Angeles Lakers (2000–02, 2009, 2010).
The greatest coach in NBA history:
— Tyler Smith (@TyCloud) December 2, 2024
Phil Jackson.
He won 11 championships by making his players meditate & perform rituals.
Now, his methods are used by CEOs to build unstoppable teams.
11 Lessons from 'The Zen Master' of basketball: pic.twitter.com/ETvHgP0JhM
Jackson coached rosters led by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman in Chicago, and Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles.
Before his coaching career, Jackson won two titles as a player with the New York Knicks (1970, 1973). He came off the bench for teams that featured Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Willis Reed, and Bill Bradley.
Jackson holds the NBA record for most playoff wins by a coach (229) and the most conference titles (13). He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and named one of the NBA’s top 10 coaches in 1996.
Who has the most NBA rings as a player and a coach?
HBD to the late, great pioneer BILL RUSSELL, who has more rings than fingers
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 12, 2025
11 x NBA Champion as player
2 x NBA Champion as coach
2 x NCAA Champion
5 x NBA MVP
134 games with 30+ REB
And the civil rights icon achieved just as much off the court pic.twitter.com/0NirMeS9cs
| Name | Titles Won as a Player | Titles Won as a Coach |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Russell | 11 (Boston Celtics) including 2 as player-coach (1968, 1969) | 2 as player-coach (1968, 1969) |
| Buddy Jeannette | 1 (1948 Baltimore Bullets) | 1 as player-coach (1948) |
| K.C. Jones | 8 (Boston Celtics) | 2 (Boston Celtics) |
| Tom Heinsohn | 8 (Boston Celtics) | 2 (Boston Celtics) |
| Bill Sharman | 4 (Boston Celtics) | 1 (Los Angeles Lakers, 1972) |
| Steve Kerr | 5 (Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs) | 4 (Golden State Warriors: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) |
| Tyronn Lue | 2 (Los Angeles Lakers) | 1 (Cleveland Cavaliers, 2016) |
| Larry Brown | 1 (1969 ABA) | 1 (Detroit Pistons, 2004) |
| Billy Cunningham | 1 (Philadelphia 76ers, 1967) | 1 (Philadelphia 76ers, 1983) |
| George Senesky | 1 (Warriors) | 1 (Warriors) |
| Red Holzman | 1 (Rochester Royals) | 2 (New York Knicks) |
| Larry Costello | 1 (Philadelphia 76ers, 1967) | 1 (Milwaukee Bucks, 1971) |
Most individual title records
These are all the individuals who have won NBA championships both on the court and from the bench:
- Most coaching titles: Phil Jackson (11)
- Most total titles (player + coach): Bill Russell (13: 11 player, 2 player-coach)
- Most player-only titles: Bill Russell (11)
- Most playoff coaching wins: Phil Jackson (229)
READ: List of NBA MVPs Year by Year Winners
I am a writer passionate about telling the stories behind the game of basketball. From the culture and personalities shaping the sport to the moments that define it, I explore basketball beyond the box score.
