Kenny Atkinson won NBA Coach of the Year on 5 May 2025 after leading Cleveland to 64 wins in his first season.
Atkinson received 59 first-place votes and appeared on 99 of 100 ballots. Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff finished second and Houston’s Ime Udoka placed third.
Atkinson earns recognition from voters and coaches
The award followed a separate honour from the National Basketball Coaches Association, which is decided by head coaches.
Atkinson said knowing respected coaches such as Rick Carlisle and Erik Spoelstra had voted for him almost brought him to tears.
“I stepped into this,” he said. “It’s a little bit of luck too, right?&
Golden State experience reshapes Atkinson
Atkinson spent three seasons as Steve Kerr’s assistant before joining Cleveland. He called that period finishing school and said Kerr taught him how to communicate with stars while involving the whole roster.
The lessons helped him turn an already talented Cavaliers team into one of the league’s most consistent groups.
Cleveland delivers a 64-win season
The Cavaliers opened with 15 straight victories and produced three separate winning streaks of at least 12 games. Their 16-game run from February to March set a club record.
Cleveland led the NBA with 121.9 points per game and set franchise records for scoring, point differential, road wins and three-pointers.
Atkinson became the third Cavaliers coach to win the league award. His team then swept Miami by a playoff-record combined margin of 122 points, carrying its regular-season dominance into the postseason.
