Los Angeles Lakers History of Coaches
The complete list of Lakers coaches from John Kundla to Phil Jackson. Yearly list and summary of coaches, including championships won
In 76 NBA seasons, the Lakers have had 29 coaches. Six of those coaches won NBA titles: Phil Jackson got 5 of his NBA record 11 while coaching the Lakers, John Kundla also got 5 championships, all in the Minneapolis Lakers era, Pat Riley got 4 while coaching most of the Showtime years, Bill Sharman had the best streak in NBA history with 33 consecutive wins in the same season he won his championship and Paul Westhead won 1 title with a rookie named Magic Johnson and a center known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Frank Vogel won the title in his first year coaching LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Here you have the details of coaches in Lakers history, with year-by-year records for the regular season and playoffs and titles won. You can also review the Lakers summary of coaches.
History of Lakers Coaches: Coaching Periods and Details Year-by-Year:
Term |
Coach | Season | Playoffs | Championships |
| 1948-49 to 1956-57 | John Kundla | 380-240 (.613) | 54-28 |  5 Titles |
| Detail: 1948-49 | 44-16 (.733) | 8-2 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 1949-50 | 51-17 (.750) | 10-2 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 1950-51 | 44-24 (.647) | 3-4 | Lost West Div Finals | |
| 1951-52 | 40-26 (.606) | 9-4 | Won Finals |
|
| 1952-53 | 48-22 (.686) | 9-3 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 1953-54 | 46-26 (.639) | 9-4 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 1954-55 | 40-32 (.556) | 3-4 | Lost West Div Finals | |
| 1955-56 | 33-39 (.458) | 1-2 | Lost West Div Semis | |
| 1956-57 | 34-38 (.472) | 2-3 | Lost West Div Finals | |
| 1957-58 | George Mikan | 9-30 (.231) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1957-58 | 9-30 (.231) | - | ||
| (Replaced after 39 games of 1957-58 Season) | ||||
| 1957-58 to 1958-59 | John Kundla | 43-62 (.410) | 6-7 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1957-58 | 10-23 (.303) | - | DNQ | |
| (Coached the final 33 games of the 1957-58 Season) | ||||
| 1958-59 | 33-39 (.458) | 6-7 | Lost NBA Finals | |
Term |
Coach | Season | Playoffs | Championships |
| 1959-60 | John Castellani | 11-25 (.306) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1959-60 | 11-25 (.306) | - | - | |
| (Replaced after 36 games of 1959-60 Season) | ||||
| 1959-60 | Jim Pollard | 14-25 (.359) | 5-4 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1959-60 | 14-25 (.359) | 5-4 | Lost West Div Finals | |
| (Interim Head Coach for the final 39 games of 1959-60 Season) | ||||
| 1960-61 to 1966-67 | Fred Schaus | 315-245 (.563) | 33-38 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1960-61 | 36-43 (.456) | 6-6 | Lost West Div Finals | |
| 1961-62 | 54-26 (.675) | 7-6 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1962-63 | 53-27 (.662) | 6-7 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1963-64 | 42-38 (.525) | 2-3 | Lost West Div Semis | |
| 1964-65 | 49-31 (.613) | 5-6 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1965-66 | 45-35 (.562) | 7-7 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1966-67 | 36-45 (.444) | 0-3 | Lost West Div Semis | |
| 1967-68 to 1968-69 | Bill Van Breda Kolff | 107-57 (.652) | 21-12 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1967-68 | 52-30 (.634) | 10-5 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1968-69 | 55-27 (.671) | 11-7 | Lost NBA Finals | |
Term |
Coach | Season | Playoffs | Championships |
| 1969-70 to 1970-71 | Joe Mullaney | 94-70 (.573) | 16-14 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1969-70 | 46-36 (.561) | 11-7 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1970-71 | 48-34 (.585) | 5-7 | Lost West Conf Finals | |
| 1971-72 to 1975-76 | Bill Sharman | 246-164 (.600) | 22-15 | 1 Title |
| Detail: 1971-72 | 69-13 (.841) | 12-3 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 1972-73 | 60-22 (.732) | 9-8 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1973-74 | 47-35 (.573) | 1-4 | Lost West Conf Semis | |
| 1974-75 | 30-52 (.366) | - | DNQ | |
| 1975-76 | 40-42 (.488) | - | DNQ | |
| 1976-77 to 1978-79 | Jerry West | 145-101 (.589) | 8-14 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1976-77 | 53-29 (.646) | 4-7 | Lost West Conf Finals | |
| 1977-78 | 45-37 (.549) | 1-2 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
| 1978-79 | 47-35 (.573) | 3-5 | Lost West Conf Semis | |
| 1979-80 | Jack McKinney | 9-4 (.692) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1979-80 | 9-4 | |||
| (Replaced after 13 games in 1979-80 Season) | ||||
Term |
Coach | Season | Playoffs | Championships |
| 1979-80 to 1981-82 | Paul Westhead | 112-50 (.691) | 13-6 | 1 Title |
| Detail: 1979-80 | 51-18 (.739) | 12-4 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| (Coached the final 69 games of the 1979-80 Season) | ||||
| 1980-81 | 54-28 (.659) | 1-2 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
| 1981-82 | 7-4 (.636) | - | - | |
| (Replaced after 11 games in 1981-82 Season) | ||||
| 1981-82 to 1989-90 | Pat Riley | 533-194 (.733) | 102-49 | 4 Titles |
| Detail: 1981-82 | 50-21 (.704) | 12-2 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 1982-83 | 58-24 (.707) | 8-7 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1983-84 | 54-28 (.659) | 14-7 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1984-85 | 62-20 (.756) | 15-4 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 1985-86 | 62-20 (.756) | 8-6 | Lost West Conf Finals | |
| 1986-87 | 65-17 (.793) | 15-3 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 1987-88 | 62-20 (.756) | 15-9 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 1988-89 | 57-25 (.695) | 11-4 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1989-90 | 63-19 (.768) | 4-5 | Lost West Conf Semis | |
| 1990-91 to 1991-92 | Mike Dunleavy | 101- 63 (.616) | 13-10 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1990-91 | 58-24 (.707) | 12-7 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 1991-92 | 43-39 (.524) | 1-3 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
Term |
Coach | Season | Playoffs | Championships |
| 1992-93 to 1993-94 | Randy Pfund | 66-80 (.452) | 2-3 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1992-93 | 39-43 (.476) | 2-3 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
| 1993-94 | 27-37 (.421) | - | ||
| (Replaced after 66 games in 1993-94 Season) | ||||
| 1993-94 | Bill Bertka | 1-1 (.500) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail. 1993-94 | 1-1 (.500) | - | - | |
| (Interim Head Coach for 2 games in 1993-94 Season) | ||||
| 1993-94 | Magic Johnson | 5-11 (.313) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail. 1993-94 | 5-11 (.313) | - | DNQ | |
| (Interim Head Coach for remaining 16 games in 1993-94 Season) | ||||
| 1994-95 to 1999 | Del Harris | 224-116 (.659) | 17-19 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 1994-95 | 48-34 (.585) | 5-5 | Lost West Conf Semis | |
| 1995-96 | 53-29 (.646) | 1-3 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
| 1996-97 | 56-26 (.683) | 4-5 | Lost West Conf Semis | |
| 1997-98 | 61-21 (.744) | 7-6 | Lost West Conf Finals | |
| 1999 | 6-6 (.500) | - | ||
| (Fired after 12 games (6-6) of the strike-shortened 1999, 50-game season) | ||||
| 1999 | Bill Bertka | 1-0 (1.00) | - | 0 titles |
| 1999 | 1-0 (1.00) | - | - | |
| (Interim Head Coach for 1 game in 1999 season) | ||||
Term |
Coach | Season | Playoffs | Championships |
| 1999 | Kurt Rambis | 24-13 (.649) | 3-5 | 0 titles |
| 1999 | 24-13 (.649) | 3-5 | Lost West Conf Semis | |
| (Interim Head Coach for final 37 games of strike-shortened, 1999, 50-game season) | ||||
| 1999-00 to 2003-04 | Phil Jackson | 287-123 (.700) | 64-28 | 3 Titles |
| Detail: 1999-00 | 67-15 (.817) | 15-8 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 2000-01 | 56-26 (.683) | 15-1 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 2001-02 | 58-24 (.707) | 15-4 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 2002-03 | 50-32 (.610) | 6-6 | Lost West Conf Semis | |
| 2003-04 | 56-26 (.683) | 13-9 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 2004-05 | Rudy Tomjanovich | 24-19 (.558) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail: 2004-05 | 24-19 (.558) | - | - | |
| (Left after 43 games because of health issues) | ||||
| 2004-05 | Frank Hamblen | 10-29 (.256) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail: 2004-05 | 10-29 (.256) * | - | DNQ | |
| (Interim Head Coach for the final 39 games of the 2004-05) * His record doesn't include 2 wins he coached because Tomjanovich was still the official coach | ||||
Term |
Coach | Season | Playoffs | Championships |
| 2005-06 to 2010-11 | Phil Jackson | 323-169 (.657) | 54-35 | 2 Titles |
| Detail: 2005-06 | 45-37 (.549) | 3-4 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
| 2006-07 | 42-40 (.512) | 1-4 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
| 2007-08 | 57-25 (.695) | 14-7 | Lost NBA Finals | |
| 2008-09 | 65-17 (.793) | 16-7 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 2009-10 | 57-25 (.695) | 16-7 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| 2010-11 | 57-25 (.695) | 4-6 | Lost West Conf Semis | |
| 2011-12 to 2012-13 | Mike Brown | 42-29 (.592) | 5-7 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 2011-12 | 41-25 (.621) | 5-7 | Lost West Conf Semis | |
| Detail: 2012-13 | 1-4 (..200) | - | - | |
| (Fired after 5 games (1-4) ) | ||||
| 2012-13 | Bernie Bickerstaff |
4-1 (.800) | - | 0 titles |
| 2012-13 | 4-1 (.800) | - | - | |
| (Interim Head Coach for 5 games in 2012-13 season) | ||||
Term |
Coach | Season | Playoffs | Championships |
| 2012-13 to 2013-14 | Mike D'Antoni | 67-87 (.435) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail: 2012-13 | 40-32 (.556) | 0-4 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
| Detail: 2013-14 | 27-55 (.329) | - | DNQ | |
| 2014-15 to 2015-16 | Byron Scott | 30-126 (.232) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail: 2014-15 | 21-61 (.256) | - | DNQ | |
| Detail: 2015-16 | 17-65 (.207) | - | DNQ | |
| 2016-17 to 2018-19 | Luke Walton | 98-148 (.398) | - | 0 titles |
| Detail: 2016-17 | 26-56 (.317) | - | DNQ | |
| Detail: 2017-18 | 35-47 (.427) | - | DNQ | |
| Detail: 2018-19 | 37-45 (.732) | - | DNQ | |
| 2019-20 to 2021-22 | Frank Vogel | 127-98 (.564) | 18-9 | 1 Title |
| Detail: 2019-20 | 52-19 (.732) | 16-5 | Won NBA Finals |
|
| Detail: 2020-21 | 42-30 (.583) | 2-4 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
| Detail: 2021-22 | 33-49 (.402) | - | DNQ | |
| 2022-23 to 2023-24 | Darvin Ham | 90-74 (.549) | 9-12 | 0 titles |
| Detail: 2022-23 | 43-39 (.524) | 8-8 | Lost West Conf Finals | |
| Detail: 2023-24 | 47-35 (.573) | 1-4 | Lost West Conf 1st Rd | |
| 2024-25 to present | JJ Redick | 0-0 (.000) | 0 titles | |
| Detail: 2024-25 | ||||