All you need to know about the NBA's Coach of the Year Award, including the latest odds, past winners, when the award is announced, and more.
Jamahl Mosley | +500 |
Mark Daigneault | +500 |
Chris Finch | +600 |
Ime Udoka | +600 |
Rick Carlisle | +900 |
Nick Nurse | +1000 |
Joe Mazzulla | +1100 |
The Orlando Magic have crushed expectations early this year en route to a 13-5 record, good for third in the Eastern Conference.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley has been a key figure in their ascent from finishing 13th in the East last year, and he's seen improvements from most of his players, namely Paolo Banchero, Goga Bitadze, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs.
Another head coach guiding a young team to surprising levels is Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC is fourth in the West with a 11-6 record.
Under Daigneault's watch, center Chet Holmgren has seen his Rookie of the Year odds (-130) grow shorter than those of Victor Wembanyama (-105). Plus, Daigneault has helped Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Isaiah Joe, and Luguentz Dort improve their games.
Click here for the full odds to win NBA Rookie of the Year.
The Minnesota Timberwolves' 13-4 record is good for first in the Western Conference, and with much of the same roster as last year, a lot of credit has to go to head coach Chris Finch.
His most important task heading into the season was getting big men Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns to co-exist. He's done that, as well as further boosting the skills of Anthony Edwards and turning Naz Reid into a dangerous option off the bench.
The Houston Rockets are very young, and after three dismal years under Stephen Silas, they jumped at the chance to hire Ime Udoka after he was cast aside by the Boston Celtics. So far, Houston is 8-8 and sitting ninth in the West, a big jump after finishing second-to-last in 2022/23.
This season, 21-year-old Rockets center Alperen Sengun has been a revelation and he has the second-shortest odds for Most Improved Player at +450. His averages of 21.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists are all career highs, and 2021 second-overall draft pick Jalen Green has become a much more efficient player.
Click here for the full odds to win the NBA Most Improved Player Award.
Rick Carlisle is in his second stint as Indiana Pacers head coach, and he's leading a young team that has tons of talent and plays hard. The Pacers are currently 9-7 and sit in sixth in the East.
Eight of his players are averaging double-figures in points, and 23-year-old point guard Tyrese Haliburton is averaging 25.9 points and a league-leading 11.9 assists. The Pacers' success has allowed 2023 eighth-overall draft pick Jarace Walker to develop at his own pace without being relied on for success.
Nick Nurse was quickly hired to replace Doc Rivers in Philadelphia, and the 76ers are 12-6, fourth in the East, and playing much better basketball than they ever did under Rivers.
James Harden was traded away from the Sixers shortly after the season started, and 23-year-old guard Tyrese Maxey has picked things up with 27.0 points per game. Reigning MVP Joel Embiid is averaging 32.0 points, and the Sixers are getting to the line more often and making more free-throws than any team in the league.
Joe Mazzulla's Boston Celtics are first in the East at 14-4, and the two huge additions - Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday - are settling in perfectly alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The Celtics have lost late in the playoffs in six of the past seven years, including a loss in the 2021/22 NBA Finals. Although the Coach of the Year Award is based on regular season success, Mazzulla will be measured by how far Boston goes in the playoffs.
Click here for the full odds to win the NBA Championship.
Odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.
Season | Coach | Team |
2022-23 | Mike Brown | Sacramento Kings |
2021-22 | Monty Williams | Phoenix Suns |
2020-21 | Tom Thibodeau | New York Knicks |
2019-20 | Nick Nurse | Toronto Raptors |
2018-19 | Mike Budenholzer | Milwaukee Bucks |
2017-18 | Dwane Casey | Toronto Raptors |
2016-17 | Mike D'Antoni | Houston Rockets |
2015-16 | Steve Kerr | Golden State Warriors |
2014-15 | Mike Budenholzer | Atlanta Hawks |
2013-14 | Gregg Popovich | San Antonio Spurs |
2012-13 | George Karl | Denver Nuggets |
2011-12 | Gregg Popovich | San Antonio Spurs |
2010-11 | Tom Thibodeau | Chicago Bulls |
2009-10 | Scott Brooks | Oklahoma City Thunder |
2008-09 | Mike Brown | Cleveland Cavaliers |
2007-08 | Byron Scott | New Orleans Hornets |
2006-07 | Sam Mitchell | Toronto Raptors |
2005-06 | Avery Johnson | Dallas Mavericks |
2004-05 | Mike D'Antoni | Phoenix Suns |
2003-04 | Hubie Brown | Memphis Grizzlies |
2002-03 | Gregg Popovich | San Antonio Spurs |
2001-02 | Rick Carlisle | Detroit Pistons |
2000-01 | Larry Brown | Philadelphia 76ers |
1999-00 | Doc Rivers | Orlando Magic |
1998-99 | Mike Dunleavy | Portland Trail Blazers |
1997-98 | Larry Bird | Indiana Pacers |
1996-97 | Pat Riley | Miami Heat |
1995-96 | Phil Jackson | Chicago Bulls |
1994-95 | Del Harris | Los Angeles Lakers |
1993-94 | Lenny Wilkens | Atlanta Hawks |
1992-93 | Pat Riley | New York Knicks |
1991-92 | Don Nelson | Golden State Warriors |
1990-91 | Don Chaney | Houston Rockets |
1989-90 | Pat Riley | Los Angeles Lakers |
1988-89 | Cotton Fitzsimmons | Phoenix Suns |
1987-88 | Doug Moe | Denver Nuggets |
1986-87 | Mike Schuler | Portland Trail Blazers |
1985-86 | Mike Fratello | Atlanta Hawks |
1984-85 | Don Nelson | Milwaukee Bucks |
1983-84 | Frank Layden | Utah Jazz |
1982-83 | Don Nelson | Milwaukee Bucks |
1981-82 | Gene Shue | Washington Bullets |
1980-81 | Jack McKinney | Indiana Pacers |
1979-80 | Bill Fitch | Boston Celtics |
1978-79 | Cotton Fitzsimmons | Kansas City Kings |
1977-78 | Hubie Brown | Atlanta Hawks |
1976-77 | Tom Nissalke | Houston Rockets |
1975-76 | Bill Fitch | Cleveland Cavaliers |
1974-75 | Phil Johnson | Kansas City-Omaha Kings |
1973-74 | Ray Scott | Detroit Pistons |
1972-73 | Tom Heinsohn | Boston Celtics |
1971-72 | Bill Sharman | Los Angeles Lakers |
1970-71 | Dick Motta | Chicago Bulls |
1969-70 | Red Holzman | New York Knicks |
1968-69 | Gene Shue | Baltimore Bullets |
1967-68 | Richie Guerin | St. Louis Hawks |
1966-67 | Red Kerr | Chicago Bulls |
1965-66 | Dolph Schayes | Philadelphia 76ers |
1964-65 | Red Auerbach | Boston Celtics |
1963-64 | Alex Hannum | San Francisco Warriors |
1962-63 | Harry Gallatin | St. Louis Hawks |
The NBA Coach of the Year award is typically announced during the NBA Playoffs. In 2023, the announcement that Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown won the award came on April 19.
The award is voted on by a panel of sportswriters from the United States and Canada. Each panel member places a vote for their first, second, and third place selections. A first place vote is worth five points, second place worth three, and third place worth one. The coach who finishes with the highest point total is the winner of the award.
The NBA Coach of the Year trophy is known as the Red Auerbach Trophy. It is named after the legendary Boston Celtics coach who won nine NBA championships from 1956 to 1966.
The trophy features a bronze sculpture of Auerbach sitting on a bench with a game plan in one hand and a cigar in the other.
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