Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Target Center.
Apr 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
NBA

List of Every Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Throughout NBA History

The Los Angeles Lakers have had some legendary coaches on the sidelines. Here's a list of every Lakers coach throughout NBA history.

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most decorated franchises in the NBA. The franchise began as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League (NBL). A year later, they shifted to Minneapolis and were renamed the Minneapolis Lakers. They joined the Basketball Association of America (BAA) the following season and the NBA in 1949.

The Lakers finally got their current name in 1960 when they relocated to Los Angeles. They have been home to legendary names including Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and LeBron James. It takes legendary coaches to lead a legendary franchise, and the Lakers have had many of them.

The franchise has seen over 30 coaches since 1946. Here’s a list of every Lakers head coach throughout NBA history.

The Detroit Gems Days

  • Joel Mason (1946-1947): Mason was the Lakers’ coach when they were called the Detroit Gems. He won 3 games and lost 13 during his tenure.
  • Fred Campbell (1947): Campbell took over as the Gems’ coach but achieved an even worse record of 1-27.

The Minneapolis Lakers’ Dynasty

  • John Kundla (1948-1957, 1958–1959): Kundla took charge of the franchise when it became the Minneapolis Lakers. He led the Lakers to the NBL Championship in his first season as the team’s head coach. The Lakers won five more BAA/NBA championships under his reign. He boasted a 423-302 record in the regular season and a 60-35 record in the postseason. His only losing season came during his second stint with the franchise, but he made it to the NBA Finals that season, too.
  • George Mikan (1957–1958): Mikan took the Lakers’ coaching job for a brief period, recording nine wins and 30 losses.
  • John Castellani (1959–1960): Castellani was another head coach who spent less than 40 games on the sidelines. He managed an 11-25 record during his tenure.
  • Jim Pollard (1959–1960): Pollard was the last Lakers coach before the franchise relocated to Los Angeles. He managed a 14-25 record but led the Lakers to another appearance in the Division Finals.

The Beginning of the Los Angeles Lakers

  • Fred Schaus (1960–1967): Schaus is among the best coaches who never won an NBA Championship. He boasted a 315-245 record and took the Lakers to four NBA finals, losing all four. He managed to win 36 games each in his worst two seasons.
  • Butch Van Breda Kolff (1967–1969): The Boston Celtics were the show spoilers for Van Breda Kolff as he lost both NBA finals to them. Van Breda Kolff boasted a 107-57 record during his time with the Lakers.
  • Joe Mullaney (1969–1971): The Lakers continued their impressive run under Mullaney, winning 94 games out of 164. They made it to the NBA finals in his first season and to the Conference finals in his second.
  • Bill Sharman (1971–1976): Sharman also led the Lakers to the NBA Finals in his first season, but unlike others, he emerged victorious. The Lakers played the NBA Finals the following season as well, but lost to the New York Knicks. His 246-164 record included a 33-game winning streak. He was named the Coach of the Year for the 1971-72 season.

A Bit of Troubles and A Lot of Championships

  • Jerry West (1976–1979): West was one of the first Lakers’ head coaches not to make an NBA Finals appearance. The lack of a championship faded the impact of his 145-101 record and three playoff appearances.
  • Jack McKinney (1979): McKinney started the 1979–80 season but suffered a near-fatal bicycle accident after 14 games (going 10-4).
  • Paul Westhead (1979–1981): Westhead took over and led the Lakers to the 1980 NBA Championship. He boasted a 111-50 record during his tenure.
  • Pat Riley (1981–1990): Riley was one of the most successful coaches of the Lakers. Under his reign, the franchise played in seven NBA Finals, winning four (1989, 1985, 1987, 1988). Riley was named the 1990 Coach of the Year. He boasted a 533-194 record in the regular season and a 102-47 record in the playoffs.
  • Mike Dunleavy Sr. (1990–1992): Dunleavy led the Lakers to the 1991 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls. He achieved a 101-63 record during his time with the Lakers.

The Lakers Meet Struggles

  • Randy Pfund (1992–1994): The Lakers missed the postseason for the first time since the 1975-76 season under Pfund. He managed a 66–80 record before being replaced.
  • Bill Bertka (1994,1999): Bertka took the job for only two games, winning one and losing one. He returned in 1999 for only one game, which he lost.
  • Magic Johnson (1994): Johnson coached the team for 16 games, achieving a 5–11 record before stepping down.
  • Del Harris (1994–1999): The Lakers enjoyed three playoff appearances under Harris but always fell short of the NBA Finals. He managed a 224-116 record during his time with the franchise.
  • Kurt Rambis (1999): Rambis served as interim head coach during the 1998–99 season, securing a 24–13 record.

Lakers Return to Winning Ways

  • Phil Jackson (1999–2004, 2005–2011): Jackson brought the triangle offense to Los Angeles, leading the Lakers to five championships (2000–2002, 2009, 2010) in his two stints. He achieved a 610-292 record in the regular season and a 181-118 record in the playoffs.
  • Rudy Tomjanovich (2004–2005): Tomjanovich secured a 24-19 record in his tenure, but the Lakers failed to make an appearance in the postseason after a decade.
  • Frank Hamblen (2005): Hamblen coached for only 39 games, winning 10 and losing 29.

The Worst Decade in Lakers History

  • Mike Brown (2011–2012): Brown led the Lakers to the Conference semifinals in his first season. He managed a 42-29 record during his time with the Lakers.
  • Bernie Bickerstaff (2012): Bickerstaff served as interim head coach for five games, achieving a 4–1 record.
  • Mike D’Antoni (2012–2014): D’Antoni’s Lakers struggled a lot, resulting in a 67-87 record. The Lakers failed to win a postseason game, despite making an appearance, for the first time in the franchise’s history.
  • Byron Scott (2014–2016): Scott posted a 38-126 record during his tenure, which included a franchise-worst 17-65 season. The Lakers didn’t make any playoff appearances under him.
  • Luke Walton (2016–2019): Walton managed a 98-148 record and never made it to the playoffs as a Lakers coach.

LeBron James’ Lakers Win Another Championship

  • Frank Vogel (2019–2022): Vogel led the Lakers to the 2020 NBA Championship after posting a 52-19 record in the regular season. He parted ways with the Lakers after the team failed to make it to the postseason in the 2021-22 season. He boasted a 127-98 record during his reign.
  • Darvin Ham (2022–2024): Ham guided the team to the Western Conference Finals in his first season and won the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament in 2023. He was fired after a first-round playoff exit in 2024. Ham managed a 90-74 record with the Lakers.

The J.J. Reddick Era

  • JJ Redick (2024–Present): Hired in June 2024, Redick transitioned from broadcasting to coaching. In his first season, he led the Lakers to a 50–32 record and a playoff appearance.

The Lakers have a rich history, and their management and players continue to make efforts to achieve even greater success. With LeBron James in the final years of his career, the Lakers would fancy adding a few more titles to their trophy cabinet.

Nishant
Written by Nishant

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