Celtics Fans Will Despise This Red Auerbach Omission From A New NBA ‘Mount Rushmore’
It appears that even some of the most knowledgeable NBA fans have forgotten the historical greatness of former Boston Celtics head coach Red Auerbach. In a new “Mount Rushmore of NBA Head Coaches” posted by popular NBA X account, @Hoopss (featured on ESPN), Auerbach was glaringly omitted.
The coaches included on the post’s Mount Rushmore were Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, and Erik Spoelstra.
Declaring Spoelstra a greater coach than Red ignores the sheer dominance Auerbach achieved in his time.
Auerbach coached the Celtics from 1950 to 1966, winning nine NBA championships, including an unprecedented eight in a row from 1959 to 1966. He pioneered fast-break basketball and integrated the league by drafting the first African-American player, Chuck Cooper, in 1950. For what it’s worth, Auerbach also won seven more titles as general manager and president, totaling 16 rings in his Celtics tenure.
Spoelstra, coaching the Miami Heat since 2008, has secured two championships in 2012 and 2013, both with the Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. He has led Miami to six NBA Finals appearances, including 2020 and 2023, and holds a .627 regular-season winning percentage with 766 wins through the 2024-25 season. Spoelstra’s adaptability shines in developing undrafted talent and adjusting to salary cap constraints, earning four Coach of the Year considerations.
At the end of the day, Auerbach’s nine titles dwarf Spoelstra’s two, and his eight-peat remains unmatched in professional sports. The 1950s-60s league had fewer teams—eight to 14 versus today’s 30—but Auerbach still clears Spo when adjusting for eras.
Of course, Spoelstra, at 54, could sitll add more championships and greatly enhance his legacy. However, anyone ranking him above Auerbach now overlooks historical context and raw accomplishment. Auerbach’s transformative impact and trophy haul make him the clear all-time superior until Spoelstra approaches that benchmark.