That’s an amazing stat when John Thompson mentioned it on his interview with Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan on Inside the NBA. Of course, knowing how my mind works, I wondered about all those changes.
He became the coach on December 9, 1988 and presided over a 97-89 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. It’s nearly impossible to list the exact order of coaching changes but the next best thing would be to do it by team.
Atlanta Hawks – Mike Fratello, Bob Weiss, Lenny Wilkens, Lon Kruger, Terry Stotts, Mike Woodson. (six coaches)
Boston Celtics – Jimmy Rodgers, Chris Ford, ML Carr, Rick Pitino, Jim O’Brien, John Carroll, Doc Rivers (seven)
Charlotte Bobcats – Bernie Bickerstaff, Sam Vincent (two)
Chicago Bulls – Doug Collins, Phil Jackson, Tim Floyd, Bill Berry, Bill Cartwright, Pete Myers, Scott Skiles (seven)
Cleveland Cavaliers – Lenny Wilkens, Mike Fratello, Randy Wittman, John Lucas, Keith Smart, Paul Silas, Brendan Malone, Mike Brown (eight)
Dallas Mavericks – John MacLeod, Richie Adubato, Gar Heard, Quinn Buckner, Dick Motta, Jim Cleamons, Don Nelson, Donn Nelson, Avery Johnson (nine)
Denver Nuggets – Doug Moe, Paul Westhead, Dan Issel, Gene Littles, Bernie Bickerstaff, Dick Motta, Bill Hanzlik, Mike D’Antoni, Dan Issel, Mike Evans, Jeff Bzdelik, Michael Cooper, George Karl (12)
Detroit Pistons – Chuck Daly, Ron Rothstein, Don Chaney, Doug Collins, Alvin Gentry, George Irvine, Rick Carlisle, Larry Brown, Flip Saunders (nine)
Golden State Warriors – Don Nelson, Bob Lanier, Rick Adelman, PJ Carlesimo, Garry St Jean, Dave Cowens, Brian Winters, Eric Musselman, Mike Montgomery, Don Nelson (nine)
Houston Rockets – Don Chaney, Rudy Tomjanovich, Jeff Van Gundy, Rick Adelman (four)
Indiana Pacers – George Irvine, Dick Versace, Bob Hill, Larry Brown, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Rick Carlisle, Jim O’Brien (eight)
Los Angeles Clippers – Gene Shue, Don Casey, Mike Schuler, Larry Brown, Bob Weiss, Bill Fitch, Chris Ford, Jim Todd, Alvin Gentry, Dennis Johnson, Mike Dunleavy (11)
Los Angeles Lakers – Pat Riley, Mike Dunleavy, Randy Pfund, Magic Johnson, Del Harris, Bill Bertka, Kurt Rambis, Phil Jackson, Rudy Tomjanovich, Frank Hamblen, Phil Jackson (10)
Memphis Grizzlies – Brian Winters, Stu Jackson, Brian Hill, Lionel Hollins, Sidney Lowe, Hubie Brown, Lionel Hollins, Mike Fratello, Tony Barone, Marc Iavaroni (nine)
Miami Heat – Ron Rothstein, Kevin Loughery, Alvin Gentry, Pat Riley, Stan Van Gundy, Pat Riley (five)
Milwaukee Bucks – Del Harris, Frank Hamblen, Mike Dunleavy, Chris Ford, George Karl, Terry Porter, Terry Stotts, Larry Krystowiak (eight)
Minnesota Timberwolves – Bill Musselman, Jimmy Rodgers, Sidney Lowe, Bill Blair, Flip Saunders, Kevin McHale, Dwane Casey, Randy Wittman (eight)
New Jersey Nets – Willis Reed, Bill Fitch, Chuck Daly, Butch Beard, John Calipari, Don Casey, Byron Scott, Lawrence Frank (eight)
New Orleans Hornets – Dick Harter, Gene Littles, Allan Bristow, Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, Tim Floyd, Byron Scott (seven)
New York Knicks – Rick Pitino, Stu Jackson, John McLeod, Pat Riley, Don Nelson, Jeff Van Gundy, Don Chaney, Herb Williams, Lenny Wilkens, Herb Williams, Larry Brown, Isiah Thomas (11)
Orlando Magic – Matt Guokas, Brian Hill, Richie Adubato, Chuck Daly, Doc Rivers, Johnny Davis, Chris Jent, Brian Hill, Stan Van Gundy (eight)
Philadelphia 76ers – Jim Lynam, Doug Moe, Fred Carter, John Lucas, Johnny Davis, Larry Brown, Randy Ayers, Chris Ford, Jim O’Brien, Maurice Cheeks (10)
Phoenix Suns – Cotton Fitzsimmons, Paul Westphal, Cotton Fitzsimmons, Danny Ainge, Scott Skiles, Frank Johnson, Mike D’Antoni (six)
Portland TrailBlazers – Mike Schuler, Rick Adelman, PJ Carlesimo, Mike Dunleavy, Maurice Cheeks, Kevin Pritchard, Nate McMillian (seven)
Sacramento Kings – Jerry Reynolds, Dick Motta, Rex Hughes, Garry St. Jean, Eddie Jordan, Rick Adelman, Eric Musselman, Reggie Theus (eight)
San Antonio Spurs – Larry Brown, Bob Bass, Jerry Tarkanian, John Lucas, Rex Hughes, Bob Hill, Gregg Popovich (seven)
Seattle Supersonics – Bernie Bickerstaff, Tom Newell, Bob Kloppenburg, Bernie Bickerstaff, KC Jones, Bob Kloppenburg, George Karl, Paul Westphal, Nate McMillian, Bob Weiss, Bob Hill, PJ Carlesimo (10)
Toronto Raptors – Brendan Malone, Darrell Walker, Butch Carter, Lenny Wilkens, Kevin O’Neill, Sam Mitchell (six)
Washington Wizards – Wes Unseld, Jim Lynam, Bernie Bickerstaff, Jim Brovelli, Darrell Walker, Gar Heard, Leonard Hamilton, Doug Collins, Eddie Jordan (nine)