The NBA made the announcement Monday (PHL), and the youthful 39-year-old is the youngest winner of Coach of the Year since 1999-00 when Doc Rivers won the award at 38-years-old.
The 2023-24 NBA Coach of the Year is… Mark Daigneault!#NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/qrzWjP1WCI
— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2024
Daigneault is also the second Thunder coach to win, following Scott Brooks in the 2009-10 season.
In just his fourth season, Daigneault led the young Thunder to the no. 1 seed in the West, posting a strong 57-25 record.
Oklahoma City became the youngest team (weighted by playing time) to finish with the best record (or tied for the best) in its conference since 1970-71, the first NBA season with Eastern and Western conferences.
The Thunder made a 17-win improvement from the 2022-23 season (40-42) and secured a playoff berth for the first time in four years.
Daigneault won the Red Auerbach Trophy after receiving 89 first-place votes for a landslide victory.
Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley finished second, receiving four first-place votes. Other coaches also receiving first-place votes for Minnesota’s Chris Finch, Boston’s Joe Mazzulla, New York’s Tom Thibodeau, and Miami’s Erik Spoelstra.