For a team that started in 1961 as the NBA’s first expansion team, the Chicago Packers, they are now on their 26th head coach. Interestingly enough, no Washington Wizards coach has been named to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. However, four have been entered as players.
Wes Unseld is one of the greatest players to wear a Washington Wizards uniform. Up until January 25th, 2024, his son, Wes Unseld Jr., was their head coach for 207 games.
Brian Keefe took over coaching duties half way through the 2023-24′ NBA season. With 121 games to his resume, he has just 28 wins for the Wizards.
Hardly a mark that ranks among the best with the franchise, there are six individuals one could argue at Washington’s best coaches ever.
Feb. 6, 1973; Atlanta, GA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Baltimore Bullets center Wes Unseld (41) during a game against the Atlanta Hawks during the 1972-73 season at The Omni. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images / Manny Rubio-Imagn Images
Though he played for the Bullets when they were still in Baltimore, Unseld became the coach of Washington in 1987. He managed the team from the sidelines for 547 games.
Unseld went 202-345 during those six and a half seasons. The only year they made the playoffs was the year was during his first. Washington never won more than 40 games with Unseld as their coach.
His legacy is better cemented as a player as he has the fifth most points in franchise history (10,624).
May 29, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks talks to referee Ben Taylor (46) against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game three in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Being the last coach to take the Washington Wizards to the playoffs certainly has credibility to make this list. Though Brooks went 183-207 during his five seasons with the team, he managed to take the Wizards to the postseason three times.
He never won more than 50 games in a season. His first season with the Wizards (2016-17′) is also the last time Washington finished first in the Southeast Division.
Mar 30, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Randy Wittman on the sideline against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Another coach with a losing record makes the list. This time, Wittman brough his Wizards to the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals twice, as opposed to Brooks doing it just once.
Going 160-168 from the sideline for Washington, Wittman never coached in the NBA again after the 2015-16′ NBA season. He was originally drafted by the Washington Bullets as a player, just like our first former head coach on the list.
December 22, 2009; Washington, DC, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Eddie Jordan watches in the second half against the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images / James Lang-Imagn Images
From 2003-2008, the former NBA champion coached the sidelines for the Washington Wizards. Having won a title playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982, Jordan became 20th head coach in team’s long history. He is also a native of Washington, D.C.
The Wizards saw a 20-game improvement from his first season as head coach to his second one.
Jordan had his team finish second in the Southeast Division four seasons in a row. He had at least 40 wins a season during that span.
He was fired just 11 games into the 2008-09′ NBA season. Jordan has the most playoff wins (26) in Wizards’ history since our next coach on the list.
Unknown date; Dallas, TX, USA; FILE PHOTO; Dallas Mavericks head coach Dick Motta at Reunion Arena. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images / Manny Rubio-Imagn Images
Being the only coach to take Washington to the Finals and win is definitely notable. Motta did that in 1978. Unfortunately, the Bullets failed to win it for a second year in a row after losing in the 1979 NBA Finals.
He won the NBA Coach of the Year, however, in 1971. Motta was also an NBA All-Star head coach in 1979.
The former Chicago Bulls coach came to Washington for four seasons. Motta went 185-143 during the regular season and is one of the few coaches with a winning record in the postseason for Washington. He went 27-24 in the playoffs for the Bullets.
Feb 1971; USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Knicks center Willis Reed (19) against Washington Bullets center Wes Unseld (41). Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Network. / Malcolm Emmons – Imagn Images
This former Wizards’ coach deserves to be on here more than once. Having been named the only Coach of the Year in franchise history, Shue accomplished this feat twice.
During his first stint in Washington, Shue took his team to five straight playoffs including an appearance in the 1971 NBA Finals. After back-to-back losses to the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals, the Wizards moved on.
Shue had a win-loss record of 275-217 during the first six seasons he coached the Wizards. Only during his first season did they not make the postseason.
From 1980 until midway through the 1984-85′ season, Shue went 199-211. His teams still managed to make the playoffs four more times, including the season in which he did not finish with the team.
Shue won the Coach of the Year Award in 1969 and 1982. He died on April 3, 2022.