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Behind the CoachingHonoring the Impact of Sports Coaching
Coach Profile

Red Auerbach

Red Auerbach

9× NBA Champion | Boston Celtics Head Coach | Hall of Fame Coach

Red Auerbach was born on September 20, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. He played college basketball at George Washington University before beginning a coaching career that would make him one of the most important figures in NBA history.

Auerbach began his BAA coaching career with the Washington Capitols, spent one season with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and became head coach of the Boston Celtics in 1950.

He coached Boston to 9 NBA championships, including 8 consecutive titles from 1959 through 1966. He finished his BAA/NBA head-coaching career with a 938-481 regular-season record and a 99-69 playoff record.

Auerbach was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 1969. Coach Auerbach passed away on October 28, 2006, at the age of 89.

  • Overall Coaching Record: 938-481

Coaching Career

Auerbach became head coach of the Washington Capitols for the inaugural 1946-1947 BAA season.

Washington went 49-11 in his first season and finished with the best record in the league. The Capitols returned to the playoffs in 1948-1949 and reached the BAA Finals before losing to the Minneapolis Lakers.

Auerbach left Washington after three seasons with a 115-53 regular-season record.

Notable Players Coached

Auerbach coached the Tri-Cities Blackhawks during the first NBA season after the BAA-NBL merger.

The Blackhawks went 28-31 under Auerbach and reached the playoffs, where they lost to the Anderson Packers in the Western Division Semifinals.

Auerbach left after one season and became head coach of the Boston Celtics.

Notable Players Coached

Auerbach became head coach of the Boston Celtics in 1950 and quickly transformed the franchise into a perennial playoff team.

Boston won its first NBA championship in 1957, defeating the St. Louis Hawks in 7 games.

After losing the 1958 NBA Finals, the Celtics won 8 consecutive championships from 1959 through 1966, one of the longest championship runs in North American professional sports.

Auerbach retired from coaching after the 1966 championship and moved fully into the Celtics front office. He finished his Boston head-coaching tenure with a 795-397 regular-season record.

Across Washington, Tri-Cities, and Boston, Auerbach finished with a 938-481 BAA/NBA regular-season record and 9 championships as a head coach.

Notable Players Coached

  • Bill Russell
    • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
    • 11× NBA champion
    • 5× NBA MVP
  • Bob Cousy
    • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
    • 6× NBA champion
    • 1957 NBA MVP
  • John Havlicek
    • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
    • 8× NBA champion
    • 13× NBA All-Star
  • Sam Jones
    • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
    • 10× NBA champion
    • 5× NBA All-Star
  • Tom Heinsohn
    • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
    • 8× NBA champion
    • 6× NBA All-Star
  • Bill Sharman
    • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
    • 4× NBA champion
    • 8× NBA All-Star