Hall of Fame NBA Players Who Became Head Coaches

Making the Hall of Fame as a player is enough for most NBA legends. However, some have tried to add to their legacy by becoming a head coach. Here is a list of players who became coaches. Bill Russell won nine championships with the Boston Celtics as a player before he became player coach and won an extra two titles in 1968 and 1969. Casey Jones notched eight straight titles as a Celtics player before one each as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston, from whom he would collect an additional two championships as head coach. Tom Heinsohn was also an eight-time champion with the Celtics as a player before a nine-year stint as the team's head coach and winning two titles. Jason Kidd won a title as a player with the Dallas Mavericks, whom he coached after stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, as well as a period as assistant coach of the Lakers, whom he won a championship with in 2020. Jerry West became an NBA champion as a player in 1972 with L.A., whom he coached for three seasons before winning eight titles as an executive with the Lakers and later the Golden State Warriors.