Nobody did his job better this season than Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson.
Atkinson has been named the 2025 NBA Coach of the Year in just his first season as the Cavaliers’ shot-caller.
The 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year is… Kenny Atkinson! #NBAAwards
— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2025
He got 59 first-place votes for a total of 401 points, beating Detroit’s J.B Bickerstaff and Houston’s Ime Udoka to win the Red Auerbach trophy.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the winner of the 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year Award.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 5, 2025
The complete voting results ??
Atkinson led Cleveland to a sizzling 15-0 start and would go on to record a 12-game win streak and a franchise-best 16-game win streak later in the season.
The Cavaliers finished with an East-best 64-18 win-loss record, marking the second-most wins in a season in franchise history.
He also became the third head coach to earn the honor with Cleveland after Bill Fitch (1975-76) and Mike Brown (2008-09).
Under Atkinson, the Cavaliers led the league in points per game (121.9) and offensive rating (121) and set numerous single season franchise records including three-pointers made (1,303 triples), most games with at least 130 points (20) and 140 points scored (four), and most wins with a winning margin or 20 points or more (18).
The 57-year-old also coached in his first ever NBA All-Star Game back in February with the team having three All-Stars this year in Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and eventual Defensive Player of the Year winner Evan Mobley.
[ALSO READ: Cavaliers' Kenny Atkinson, Thunder’s Mark Daigneault named as All-Star Game head coaches]
Cleveland trails the Indiana Pacers, 1-0, in their East semifinal showdown with Game 2 scheduled on Wednesday, May 7.
[ALSO READ: Pacers put early pressure on no. 1 Cavs after stunning Game 1 win]
