Longest-Tenured NBA Head Coaches | Hoops Rumors

For the second in a row off season Erik Spoelstra with Heat is the longest tenured head coach in the NBA.

Spoelstra topped our list when Gregg Popovich announced his retirement in May 2025. Popovich was the head coach of the Spurs for almost three decades.

Since becoming Miami’s head coach in 2008, Spoelstra has won two championships and made a total of six NBA Finals appearances. He will also be the head coach of the USA team during the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.

Five of the NBA’s 11 longest-tenured head coaches have been replaced since we checked in last summer, with Billy Donovan with Bykov (September 2020), Chauncey Billups with Trail Blazers (June 2021), Jason Kidd with Mavericks, Jamal Moseley with magic (July 2021) and Willie Green with Pelicans (July 2021) are parting ways with their teams.

Mosley was the only coach in the group to find a new head coaching position this offseason joined Pelicans on a five-year contract. Donovan will be the new top assistant in San Antonio, while Green is expected to join Dallas as the top assistant.

Last year’s total of six coaching changes isn’t abnormally high, but it’s unusual for us to remove so many names at the top of our list. The final coaching change took place in Milwaukee, where the Grizzlies’ former head coach. Taylor Jenkins replaced Doc Rivers as head coach Bucks.

Here’s a current breakdown of the NBA’s longest-tenured head coaches by team:

1. Erik SpoelstraHeat: April 2008
2. Steve KerrWarriors: May 2014
3. Tyrone LueClippers: October 2020
4. Mark DynoThunder: November 2020
5. Chris FinchTimberwolves: February 2021
6. Rick CarlislePacers: June 24, 2021
7. Will HardyJazz: June 2022
8. Joe MazzulaCeltics: September 2022
   • Mazzula became the interim head coach of the Celtics in September 2022 and was named the permanent head coach in February 2023.
9. Quinn SnyderHawks: February 2023
10. Made by UdokRockets: April 2023
11. Nick NurseSixers: June 1, 2023
12. Darko RayakovichRaptors: June 13, 2023
13. Brian KeefeWizards: January 25, 2024
    • Keefe became the interim head coach of the Wizards in January 2024 and was named the permanent head coach in May 2024.
14. Jordi Fernandeznetworks: April 2024
15. Charles LeeHornets: May 2024
16. Jay Jay ReddickLakers: June 24, 2024
17. Kenny AtkinsonCavaliers: June 28, 2024
18. J. BickerstaffPistons: July 2024
19. Mitch JohnsonSpurs: November 2024
    • Johnson takes over as Spurs interim head coach in November 2024 Gregg Popovich suffered a stroke; he was named permanent head coach in May 2025 when Popovich stepped down.
20. Doug ChristieKings: December 2024
    • Christie became interim head coach of the Kings in December 2024 and was named permanent head coach in May 2025.
21. Tuomas IisalaGrizzly: March 2025
    • Iisala became the interim head coach of the Grizzlies in March 2025 and was named the permanent head coach in May 2025.
22. David AdelmanNuggets: April 2025
    • Adelman became the interim head coach of the Nuggets in April 2025 and was named the permanent head coach in May 2025.
23. Jordan OttSun: June 2025
24. Mike BrownKnicks: July 2025
25. Taylor JenkinsBucks: April 30, 2026
26. Jamal MosleyPelicans: May 18, 2026
27. Sean SweeneyMagic: June 1, 2026
28. Tiago SplitterTaurus: June 16, 2026
29. Mika NoriTrail Blazers: June 23, 2026
30. Dusty MayMavericks: June 23, 2026
    • Dallas announced May’s hiring hours after Portland did the same with Nora.

There’s a six-year gap between Spoelstra and second-place finisher Kerr, who won four titles with Golden State. Incredibly, the six-plus-year gap between Kerr and Lue, who finished third, is longer than the five-plus-year gap between Lue and May, the last head coach hired.