best record by a rookie coach in the past 30 seasons

Since 1997-98, 12 coaches are tied for the best record as a rookie in a season, with a record of 1-0. The first three are David Adelman in 2024-25, Joe Mazzulla in 2023-24 and Joe Prunty in 2022-23.

Showing:

Regular season

	COACH	REC	SEASON	W%	GP	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	TS%	OREB	DREB	TPG	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF	+/-
1	David Adelman	1-0	2024-25	1.000	1	6.4	2.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	100.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0		100.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	6	2	1	0	1	0	0	0	-10
2	Joe Mazzulla	12-0	2023-24	1.000	10	10.6	2.6	2.1	0.6	0.7	0.1	1.0	2.1	47.6	0.5	1.4	35.7	0.1	0.2	50.0	59.4	0.5	1.6	0.4	106	26	21	6	7	1	4	12	+55
3	Joe Prunty	1-0	2022-23	1.000	1	17.6	9.0	1.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	4.0	7.0	57.1	1.0	2.0	50.0	0.0	0.0		64.3	1.0	0.0	0.0	18	9	1	2	0	0	0	2	+3
4	Doc Rivers	3-0	2022-23	1.000	2	3.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	8	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	-6
5	Tom Thibodeau	3-0	2022-23	1.000	3	2.7	1.0	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	1.3	25.0	0.3	1.3	25.0	0.0	0.0		37.5	0.0	0.7	0.0	8	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	-18
6	Erik Spoelstra	8-0	2012-13	1.000	8	5.0	0.3	0.8	0.3	0.0	0.3	0.1	0.4	33.3	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0		33.3	0.1	0.6	0.6	40	2	6	2	0	2	5	9	-22
7	Bernie Bickerstaff	7-0	2012-13	1.000	4	2.7	0.0	0.5	0.5	0.0	0.3	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0		0.0	0.3	0.3	0.0	11	0	2	2	0	1	0	1	-13
8	Erik Spoelstra	2-0	2010-11	1.000	2	5.6	1.0	1.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	1.5	33.3	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0		33.3	0.5	1.0	1.0	11	2	3	0	0	0	2	2	+8
9	Stan Van Gundy	6-0	2007-08	1.000	6	6.8	3.0	2.7	0.3	0.2	0.2	1.3	2.8	47.1	0.0	0.0		0.3	0.5	66.7	49.1	1.3	1.3	0.3	41	18	16	2	1	1	2	4	0
10	George Karl	1-0	2004-05	1.000	1	4.0	3.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	2.0	50.0	1.0	1.0	100.0	0.0	0.0		75.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	4	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	+2
11	Stan Van Gundy	3-0	2004-05	1.000	3	9.0	2.3	0.3	1.0	1.3	0.0	1.0	3.7	27.3	0.0	1.3	0.0	0.3	0.3	100.0	30.6	0.0	0.3	1.0	27	7	1	3	4	0	3	2	-7
12	Gregg Popovich	5-0	2003-04	1.000	5	7.0	1.8	0.6	0.2	0.6	0.0	0.6	2.4	25.0	0.0	0.0		0.6	1.2	50.0	30.7	0.2	0.4	1.0	35	9	3	1	3	0	5	5	+13
13	Don Nelson	2-0	2001-02	1.000	2	1.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0			0.0	0.5	0.0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	-3
14	George Irvine	1-0	1999-00	1.000	1	18.0	4.0	1.0	1.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		4.0	6.0	66.7	43.1	0.0	1.0	1.0	18	4	1	1	2	0	1	1	+11
15	Joe Mazzulla	11-1	2022-23	.917	12	5.5	1.6	0.8	0.9	0.2	0.2	0.7	1.6	42.1	0.2	0.6	28.6	0.1	0.2	50.0	47.8	0.2	0.6	0.3	66	19	9	11	2	2	4	5	-6
16	Nick Nurse	11-1	2018-19	.917	12	4.6	2.4	0.8	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.7	1.5	44.4	0.3	0.7	50.0	0.8	0.9	81.8	63.5	0.1	0.7	0.2	55	29	9	6	0	0	2	5	-20
17	Pat Riley	10-1	1997-98	.909	11	2.9	0.9	0.7	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.4	1.6	22.2	0.1	0.3	33.3	0.1	0.2	50.0	26.5	0.5	0.3	0.5	32	10	8	2	2	1	6	3	-22
18	Phil Jackson	9-1	2008-09	.900	10	2.8	0.6	0.0	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.3	1.1	27.3	0.0	0.6	0.0	0.0	0.0		27.3	0.0	0.0	0.3	28	6	0	2	1	1	3	10	-47
19	Terry Stotts	31-4	2018-19	.886	24	10.5	4.8	1.0	0.8	0.1	0.1	1.8	4.7	38.9	0.6	2.1	30.0	0.5	1.0	52.2	46.7	0.2	0.8	0.6	251	115	24	18	2	2	15	13	-62
20	Mark Daigneault	132-18	2024-25	.880	69	22.4	7.7	4.0	2.1	0.7	0.4	2.9	6.5	44.3	1.0	3.1	33.6	0.9	1.3	73.6	54.7	1.1	2.9	1.0	1,543	531	273	142	51	29	69	160	+206
21	Avery Johnson	22-3	2004-05	.880	18	17.3	6.4	2.4	2.4	1.1	0.4	2.2	4.6	48.2	0.6	1.3	41.7	1.4	1.8	78.1	59.2	0.4	2.0	1.2	312	115	44	44	19	7	21	36	+16
22	Mike Dunleavy	7-1	2000-01	.875	8	4.8	2.4	0.4	0.8	0.3	0.0	1.0	2.8	36.4	0.4	1.0	37.5	0.0	0.0		43.2	0.0	0.4	0.6	38	19	3	6	2	0	5	2	-10
23	Phil Jackson	34-5	2007-08	.872	32	7.5	3.2	1.1	0.8	0.3	0.1	1.1	2.5	44.3	0.2	0.5	31.3	0.8	1.2	71.1	53.3	0.3	0.8	0.8	241	102	35	27	11	2	27	16	-31
24	Gregg Popovich	94-15	2015-16	.862	64	20.6	9.8	4.5	1.2	0.6	0.4	3.5	6.5	54.6	0.3	0.7	38.3	2.4	3.2	75.7	62.0	1.4	3.1	1.3	1,321	628	290	79	36	28	82	157	+149
25	Mike Dunleavy	6-1	1998-99	.857	7	5.0	4.4	1.3	0.4	0.1	0.1	1.6	2.9	55.0	0.1	0.4	33.3	1.1	2.6	44.4	55.5	0.6	0.7	0.9	35	31	9	3	1	1	6	5	-9

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More Nuggets Stats

Team Leaders

PPG

27.7

Jokić

RPG

12.9

Jokić

APG

10.7

Jokić

Team Rankings

ORTG

122.6

1st

DRTG

117.4

21st

NETRTG

5.2

7th

3P%

39.6

1st

2025-26 Conference Standings

	TEAM	W	L	PCT	GB
1	Thunder	64	18	.780
2	Spurs	62	20	.756	2.0
3	Nuggets	54	28	.659	10.0
4	Lakers	53	29	.646	11.0
5	Rockets	52	30	.634	12.0

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Thu 10/22	DEN	@	OKC	9:30 PM
Sat 10/24	NOP	@	DEN	9:00 PM
Mon 10/26	GSW	@	DEN	10:00 PM
Wed 10/28	DEN	@	NOP	8:00 PM
Fri 10/30	DEN	@	PHX	10:00 PM

Last Game

Nuggets

2 - 4

Final

110

Timberwolves

4 - 2

Thu 30 Apr 2026

NBA 2025-26 Leaders

PPG Leaders

33.5

Dončić

31.1

Gilgeous-Alexander

28.8

Edwards

RPG Leaders

12.9

Jokić

11.9

Towns

11.6

Clingan

APG Leaders

10.7

Jokić

9.9

Cunningham

8.3

Dončić

SPG Leaders

2.0

Thompson

2.0

Daniels

1.9

Wallace

BPG Leaders

3.1

Wembanyama

1.9

Holmgren

1.9

Huff

3PM Leaders

4.0

Dončić

3.8

Ball

3.4

Knueppel

TS% Leaders

68.8

Duren

67.6

Ayton

67.4

Queta

NBA 2025-26 Rankings

ORtg Rankings

122.6

120.8

119.8

119.6

119.4

119.2

DRtg Rankings

107.7

109.7

111.3

112.7

113.0

113.2

NetRtg Rankings

11.1

8.3

8.2

8.1

6.5

5.4

Tank Leaderboard

17-65

19-63

20-62

22-60

25-57

NBA Fantasy 2025-26

FanDuel Points Leaders

4,039.7

Jokić

3,694

Dončić

3,474

Johnson

DraftKings Points Leaders

4,298.5

Jokić

3,909.3

Dončić

3,685.5

Johnson

USG% Leaders

38.0

Dončić

36.1

Brown

33.4

Leonard

MPG Leaders

38.0

Maxey

37.4

Thompson

36.4

Durant

FanDuel PTS/MIN Leaders

1.78

Jokić

1.61

Dončić

1.52

Gilgeous-Alexander

DraftKings PTS/MIN Leaders

1.90

Jokić

1.71

Dončić

1.52

Gilgeous-Alexander

NBA 2025-26 Betting

Best Record ATS

50-34

61-44

50-37-1

51-38

47-36

57-44

Worst Record ATS

33-49

41-59

36-48

38-50

36-46

NBA 2025-26 Standings

	Eastern	W	L	PCT	GB
1	Pistons - z	60	22	.732
2	Celtics - x	56	26	.683	4.0
3	Knicks - x	53	29	.646	7.0
4	Cavaliers - x	52	30	.634	8.0
5	Raptors - x	46	36	.561	14.0
6	Hawks - x	46	36	.561	14.0
7	76ers - x	45	37	.549	15.0
8	Magic - x	45	37	.549	15.0
9	Hornets	44	38	.537	16.0
10	Heat	43	39	.524	17.0
11	Bucks - e	32	50	.390	28.0
12	Bulls - e	31	51	.378	29.0
13	Nets - e	20	62	.244	40.0
14	Pacers - e	19	63	.232	41.0
15	Wizards - e	17	65	.207	43.0

	Western	W	L	PCT	GB
1	Thunder - z	64	18	.780
2	Spurs - x	62	20	.756	2.0
3	Nuggets - x	54	28	.659	10.0
4	Lakers - x	53	29	.646	11.0
5	Rockets - x	52	30	.634	12.0
6	Timberwolves - x	49	33	.598	15.0
7	Suns - x	45	37	.549	19.0
8	Trail Blazers - x	42	40	.512	22.0
9	Clippers	42	40	.512	22.0
10	Warriors	37	45	.451	27.0
11	Pelicans - e	26	56	.317	38.0
12	Mavericks - e	26	56	.317	38.0
13	Grizzlies - e	25	57	.305	39.0
14	Kings - e	22	60	.268	42.0
15	Jazz - e	22	60	.268	42.0

NBA 2025-26 Scores & Schedule

Scores

DATE	MATCHUP			SCORE
Mon 3/30	PHX	@	MEM	131-105
Mon 3/30	CHI	@	SAS	114-129
Mon 3/30	MIN	@	DAL	124-94
Mon 3/30	CLE	@	UTA	122-113
Mon 3/30	DET	@	OKC	110-114

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Tue 10/20	BOS	@	DET	3:00 PM
Tue 10/20	PHI	@	NYK	7:00 PM
Tue 10/20	OKC	@	SAS	9:30 PM
Wed 10/21	ATL	@	ORL	7:00 PM
Wed 10/21	MIL	@	WAS	7:00 PM

Since 1997-98, 12 coaches are tied for the best record as a rookie in a season, with a record of 1-0. The first three are David Adelman in 2024-25, Joe Mazzulla in 2023-24 and Joe Prunty in 2022-23.

Related Searches

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More Nuggets Stats

27.7

12.9

10.7

NBA 2025-26 Leaders

33.5

31.1

28.8

12.9

11.9

11.6

10.7

9.9

8.3

2.0

2.0

1.9

3.1

1.9

1.9

4.0

3.8

3.4

68.8

67.6

67.4

NBA 2025-26 Rankings

NBA Fantasy 2025-26

4,039.7

3,694

3,474

4,298.5

3,909.3

3,685.5

38.0

36.1

33.4

38.0

37.4

36.4

1.78

1.61

1.52

1.90

1.71

1.52

NBA 2025-26 Betting

NBA 2025-26 Standings

NBA 2025-26 Scores & Schedule

Scores

Schedule