A Definitive Ranking of the Best Athletes Turned Coaches

These select few individuals have experienced fruitful careers as both pro athletes and coaches.

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Complex Original

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Perhaps the only job in sports that’s tougher than being a star player is being the coach who has to coax the best performance possible out of that athlete. While that sense of self-belief and confidence is an universal trait among those who are successful in sports, in many ways, being a star player requires a degree of selfishness that coaches always fight against.

It is not a huge shock, then, that in many sports the record of star players who go on to enjoy coaching success is a bit spotty. That’s not to say, however, that it is impossible to enjoy a long, fruitful career as both a pro athlete and pro coach. While basketball has produced the most success stories in this regard, every sport has its fair share. Here’s A Definitive Ranking of the Best Athletes Turned Coaches.

15. Mike Scioscia

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14. Doc Rivers

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13. Tom Flores

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12. Larry Bird

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11. Mario Zagallo

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10. Pat Riley

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9. Tommy Heinsohn

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8. Jerry Sloan

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7. Jacques Lemaire

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6. Franz Beckenbauer

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5. Mike Ditka

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4. Kenny Dalglish

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3. Phil Jackson

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2. Joe Torre

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1. Lenny Wilkens

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