I’ve been watching, analyzing, and writing about the Washington Wizards (and Bullets) for a long time, which means I’ve chronicled a lot of failure. It hasn’t all been bad, though. The best run in franchise history was unarguably the 1970s — kickstarted by drafting Wes Unseld with the second overall pick in 1968.
Unseld built a Hall of Fame career, was named to the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all-time team, and was one of only two players to win Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same year. The other guy was Wilt Chamberlain. Not too shabby.
Elvin Hayes was the number one overall pick that year, and he was a central figure in that best run in team history.
During the 70s, the Bullets went to the Finals four times — 1971, 1975, 1978, and 1979 — and won the title in 1978.
I’ll write more about players in the days ahead. For today, let’s take a look at the top five coaches in team history.
Let’s start with this: the top three is easy, though ranking them was not. The last two spots were tough. Here are a few honorable mentions:
Eddie Jordan — Architect of the second best offense in franchise history (the 2006-07 squad) led by Gilbert Arenas at the peak of his powers, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler. Jordan also coached a team that hit first (yes FIRST) in the East on the day the Eastern Conference All-Star coach was chosen. Why didn’t he crack top five? Inattention to the defensive end, and the team peaked at just 45 wins. While that was the most wins since 1978-79, it’s not exactly something to brag about.
Wes Unseld — I considered Unseld for the top five for two reasons — respect for him as the most important figure in franchise history and for the turnaround job he did in 1987-88. That season, the Bullets started off 8-19 with the inept Kevin Loughery at the helm. With Unseld in charge, the team went 30-25 and pushed the Bad Boy era Detroit Pistons to the full five games in the first round. I just couldn’t get past all the losing, however.
Bernie Bickerstaff (77-72, 0-3) — Somehow, some way, Bickerstaff managed a winning record coaching this team in three different seasons. He had some talent (Chris Webber and Rod Strickland), and the team got the playoffs just once with Bickerstaff in charge (that “epic” three-game sweep at the hands of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls).
5 — Scott Brooks (183-207, 10-14) — I know many fans deemed Brooks cataclysmically incompetent. While he never would have been my choice in the first place, and I would have been fine with him being replaced before his contract ran the full five years, he probably did about as well as anyone could have given the talent he was given. When the stars were healthy, the team won a heady 49 games and made a spirited exit in the second round of the playoffs. Then John Wall started getting hurt, Marcin Gortat and Markieff Morris aged, and the team fell apart.
For my money, his most impressive season was his last in DC. The team was ravaged by covid and injuries, and he cobbled together a Frankenstein’s monster of a rotation that included 6-1 guard Raul Neto as a starting small forward, and a three-headed center rota consisting of Daniel Gafford, Robin Lopez, and Alex Len. That lineup unlocked Russell Westbrook to wreak havoc, and they finished the season 17-6 to make the playoffs.
Great coach? No — probably a bit below average compared to his peers at the time. Still good enough to make this list.
4 — Randy Wittman (178-199, 12-9) — Surprised myself with this one. The team was an abject disaster when Wittman took over from Flip Saunders. His offensive system was an odd concoction of wasted actions that went nowhere, but he implemented a sound defensive scheme, got buy-in and effort, and made two (TWO) second round runs in the playoffs. That 2015 run might have gone a bit longer if Wall hadn’t broken a bone in his hand. Fun fact: Wittman’s 57.1% playoffs winning percentage is best in franchise history.
3 — Gene Shue (522-505, 19-36) — Shue coached the team in 13 seasons spread between two stints. In the first, he had the good fortune of getting Unseld, who transformed the team’s fortunes. In 1971 (Unseld’s third season, Shue’s fifth with the team), he led the then Baltimore Bullets to their first trip to the Finals (where they lost 4-0 to the Milwaukee Bucks led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, and Bob Dandridge). His second term with the Bullets was less successful. The championship-level talent had aged, and the front office was in patch-and-spackle mode.
2 — KC Jones (155-91, 14-17) — I strongly considered putting Jones at #1 because the 1974-75 team was the best in franchise history — the only one to win 60 games. They lost in the Finals to Rick Barry and the Golden State Warriors. That team’s strength of schedule adjusted scoring margin was +6.53 — no other team in franchise history topped +5. The team parted ways with Jones when it took a step back in his final season (despite the addition of Dave Bing), and because he and GM Bob Ferry reportedly clashed.
1 — Dick Motta (185-143, 27-24) — Motta coached the team to its only championship and got them back to the Finals the following season. His regular season winning percentage (56.4%) was second in franchise history (behind Jones’ 63.0%), and his playoffs winning percentage (52.9%) was second behind Wittman. He’s one of just four coaches in franchise history with a .500 or better regular season record, and one of only three at .500 or better in the postseason.
There you have it — the top five coaches in the Bullets/Wizards history. Who’s on your list?