At nearly 72 years old, Spurs’ Gregg Popovich has become the oldest NBA head coach ever on opening night taking that honor away from Hubie Brown, who was 71 years, one month and eight days old when he coached the Memphis Grizzlies at the start of the 2004-05 season.
Some of the other men to coach games at such advanced ages include Larry Brown, Don Nelson and Jerry Sloan, but none of them were doing it at the age Popovich is now.
Below, check out the oldest men to have ever been an NBA head coach.
1
Gregg Popovich
Age: 71 years, 10 months and 30 days
Last season: 2020-21
Seasons as head coach: 25
2
Hubie Brown
Age: 71 years, one month and eight days
Last season: 2004-05
Seasons as head coach: 13
3
Larry Brown
Age: 69 years, 10 months and 12 days
Last season: 2010-11
Seasons as head coach: 26
4
Don Nelson
Age: 69 years, seven months and 12 days
Last season: 2009-10
Seasons as head coach: 31
5
Jerry Sloan
Age: 68 years, eight months and 29 days
Last season: 2010-11
Seasons as head coach: 26
6
Chuck Daly
Age: 68 years, six months and 16 days
Last season: 1998-99
Seasons as head coach: 14
7
Mike D'Antoni
Age: 68 years, five months and 14 days
Last season: 2019-20
Seasons as head coach: 16
8
Paul Silas
Age: 68 years, five months and 13 days
Last season: 2011-12
Seasons as head coach: 12
9
Rick Adelman
Age: 67 years, four months and 13 days
Last season: 2013-14
Seasons as head coach: 23
10
Lenny Wilkens
Age: 67 years and five days
Last season: 2004-05
Seasons as head coach: 32
11
John Beilein
Age: 66 years, eight months and 17 days
Last season: 2019-20
Seasons as head coach: One
12
Phil Jackson
Age: 65 years, three months and nine days
Last season: 2010-11
Seasons as head coach: 20
13
Cotton Fitzsimmons
Age: 65 years and 25 days
Last season: 1996-97
Seasons as head coach: 21
14
Alvin Gentry
Age: 64 years, 11 months and 17 days
Last season: 2019-20
Seasons as head coach: 17
15
George Karl
Age: 64 years, seven months and 15 days
Last season: 2015-16
Seasons as head coach: 27
16
Dick Motta
Age: 64 years, one month and 21 days
Last season: 1996-97
Seasons as head coach: 25
17
Jack Ramsay
Age: 63 years, nine months and 13 days
Last season: 1988-89
Seasons as head coach: 21
18
Bob Weiss
Age: 63 years, eight months and 25 days
Last season: 2005-06
Seasons as head coach: Seven
19
Bill Fitch
Age: 63 years, five months and 12 days
Last season: 1997-98
Seasons as head coach: 25
20
Terry Stotts
Age: 63 years, one month and two days
Last season: 2020-21
Seasons as head coach: 13
21
Tom Thibodeau
Age: 62 years, 11 months and 10 days
Last season: 2020-21
Seasons as head coach: Nine
22
Bernie Bickerstaff
Age: 62 years, eight months and 20 days
Last season: 2006-07
Seasons as head coach: 14
23
Pat Riley
Age: 62 years, nine months and 10 days
Last season: 2007-08
Seasons as head coach: 24
24
Jerry Tarkanian
Age: 62 years, two months and 29 days
First and last season: 1992-93.
Seasons as head coach: One
25
Lionel Hollins
Age: 62 years and eight days
Last season: 2015-16
Seasons as head coach: Eight
