In the NBA, longevity on the sidelines often comes at a cost. The coaches with the most losses didn’t just endure tough seasons; they stayed through rebuilds, relocations, and eras when winning was secondary to stability and vision.
Names like Lenny Wilkens and Gregg Popovich appear high on the league’s loss totals, not because of fleeting failures, but because their careers stretched across decades. They coached expansion teams and franchises searching for identity.
Behind the numbers are stories of trust, patience and influence, revealing how some big names remained central to the league long after victories became harder to find.
NBA coaches with the most regular-season losses
Lenny Wilkens holds the NBA record for the most regular-season coaching losses with 1,155 defeats in 2,487 games, the top figure in league history. He coached multiple franchises over three decades, including the SuperSonics, Trail Blazers, Cavaliers, Hawks, Raptors and Knicks, accumulating the highest loss total while also ranking among the all-time leaders in games coached.
Bill Fitch ranks second with 1,106 losses in 2,050 games. His long career spanned several teams, such as the Cavaliers, Celtics, Rockets, Nets and Clippers, where lengthy rebuilds and roster transitions contributed to his place near the top of the loss leaderboard.
Following him is Don Nelson, with 1,063 regular-season losses over a 2,398-game career. Nelson’s tenure included stops with the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks and Mavericks, and while he’s also among the most successful coaches by wins, his extensive time on the bench naturally led to a high loss total as well.
Other coaches with high regular-season loss totals include Dick Motta (1,017 losses), Larry Brown (904), Gene Shue (861), Rick Carlisle (841), Gregg Popovich (831) and George Karl (824). These figures reflect long careers and the challenges of competing in various eras and team situations.
| Coach | Losses | Games played |
| Lenny Wilkens | 1,155 | 2,487 |
| Bill Fitch | 1,106 | 2,050 |
| Don Nelson | 1,063 | 2,398 |
| Dick Motta | 1,017 | 1,952 |
| Larry Brown | 904 | 2,002 |
| Rick Carlisle | 890 | 1,889 |
| Gene Shue | 861 | 1,645 |
| Gregg Popovich | 851 | 2,263 |
| Doc Rivers | 837 | 2,016 |
| George Karl | 824 | 1,999 |
| Jerry Sloan | 803 | 2,024 |
| Jack Ramsay | 783 | 1,647 |
| Cotton Fitzsimmons | 775 | 1,607 |
| Rick Adelman | 749 | 1,791 |
| Mike Dunleavy | 716 | 1,329 |
| Pat Riley | 694 | 1,904 |
| Nate McMillan | 668 | 1,428 |
| Kevin Loughery | 662 | 1,136 |
| John MacLeod | 657 | 1,364 |
| Byron Scott | 647 | 1,101 |
| Alvin Gentry | 636 | 1,170 |
| Red Holzman | 604 | 1,300 |
| Flip Saunders | 592 | 1,246 |
| Erik Spoelstra | 588 | 1,395 |
| Dwane Casey | 570 | 1,064 |