Kenny Atkinson has been officially honored as the NBA Coach of the Year for the 2024–25 season, marking a remarkable achievement in his debut year as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Atkinson took the reins in Cleveland after spending multiple seasons as a key assistant coach under Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors, where he gained a reputation for his tactical insight and player development skills.
His transition to head coach has paid off, as the Cavaliers exceeded expectations and positioned themselves as a top contender in the Eastern Conference.
Interestingly, Atkinson is following a familiar path: Mike Brown, also a former Warriors assistant, captured the Coach of the Year award in his first season with the Sacramento Kings just a few years earlier, highlighting a trend of Warriors assistants making significant head coaching strides elsewhere.
The voting results placed J.B. Bickerstaff in second place.
Bickerstaff, who assumed head coaching duties for the Detroit Pistons this season, was widely praised for engineering a dramatic turnaround, guiding the Pistons from the bottom of the standings back into playoff contention.
Ime Udoka, who led a young and improving Houston Rockets squad, rounded out the top three.
Kenny Atkinson Named NBA Coach Of The Year https://t.co/HKnsYiSZnO
— RealGM (@RealGM) May 5, 2025
