Who's the BEST Coach in NBA History?

“Who’s the best Coach in NBA history?” has developed as an interesting subplot to the Los Angeles Lakers’ 15th NBA Championship. NBA analysts, the Laker Nation, the Celtric Pride, and watercoolers around the country have been bantering about Phil Jackson versus Red Auerbach.

Red Auerbach had nine. Pat Riley, five. But this summer, Phil will slide a 10th Championship ring onto his thumb. Impressive. No doubt.

To prove his Supreme-ness, Jackson donned a ‘LOOK-AT-ME’ yellow baseball cap with a giant “X” staring at the World through ABC’s cameras after the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic.

Sure, as a HEAD coach, Phil has done more than any other. But is Phil deserving of ALL the attention?

As a student of basketball strategy, I am intrigued by the offensive and defensive schemes which propel good teams into greatness. I couldn’t help but feel upset to see Phil hogging all of the limelight. I believe he owes a little credit to quiet, good-humored Assistant Coach Morice Fredrick ” Tex ” Winter. Tex Winter has been right along Jackson ’s side in EACH of Jackson ’s 10 NBA Championships.

So, what did Tex Winter contribute to the 10 Championships? Tex Winter is the mastermind behind the ‘Triangle Offense’.

Simply put, the Triangle Offense is the most successful offensive scheme of all time. The Triangle Offense made Jordan , Kobe , Shaq, and Pippen into super-human NBA champions that fans have grown to idolize . Without it, one must wonder if these players would have won as many rings, and thus, became so legendary.

Let me demonstrate.

* Before Tex Winter brought the Triangle Offense, Detroit ’s Bad Boys frustrated Michael Jordan with the ‘Jordan Rules’ (a send-everybody-at-Jordan defense strategy). After the Triangle, Michael Jordan won 6 Championship and would’ve won 8 in-a-row if he hadn’t been caught gambling and forced to take a suspension (aka Baseball for the Chicago White Socks).

* Before Tex Winter’s Triangle, Scottie Pippen was a lanky, swing forward from Central Arkansas . After the Triangle, Scottie was propelled into one of the 50th greatest NBA players of all-time.

* Before Tex Winter’s Triangle, Del Harris coached an under-achieving Lakers team to mediocrity with Shaq and Kobe . After the Triangle, the Lakers won 3 Championship with Kobe and Shaq, and their 4th, with Kobe and Pau Gasol.

* Before the Triangle, players like Horace Grant, Lamar Odom, Robert Horry, Pau Gasol, and Rick Fox were quiet contributors to average teams. After the Triangle, these players became household names.

Tex Winter and his Triangle Offense won 10 of the last 19 NBA Championships. Enough said.

It was during the 1947 University of Southern California basketball season where Coach Sam Berry taught his Trojan team to share the ball in the Triangle Offense. From here, Winter took the offense and coached his way to success at Kansas State University , the Houston Rockets, and then under Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.

Tex has remained quiet, shaded from the spotlight, behind Phil Jackson. Sure, Jackson ’s ‘Zen’ ways get player to play together. But it was Tex Winter’s offensive strategy which allowed some of the NBA’s most prolific scorers to walk off the stage with NBA Championships clanging together in their back pockets.

So, I ask NBA fans everywhere to stand up and offer a simple congratulatory head-nod to the ‘other’ coach who can sport a Championship ring on each of his 87-year old fingers, Tex Winter.