Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has been named the 2024-2025 NBA Coach of the Year, capping off a remarkable debut campaign with the franchise. The announcement came Monday, with Atkinson receiving 59 first-place votes and 401 total points, edging out Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Houston Rockets’ Ime Udoka, who finished second and third respectively.
Atkinson’s Cavaliers stormed to a 64-18 regular season record, the second-best mark in franchise history and just three wins shy of the 66-win record set in 2008-2009. Cleveland finished first in the Eastern Conference and posted the second-best overall record in the NBA, a stunning turnaround under Atkinson’s leadership.
Prior to joining the Cavaliers, Atkinson served as an assistant coach with multiple NBA teams over a span of seven years, most recently with the Golden State Warriors. He was also the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020, where he earned a reputation for developing young talent and instilling a strong team culture.
Cleveland’s strong regular season has continued into the playoffs, where they advanced to the second round, though they currently trail 0-1 in the series against the Indiana Pacers after a Game 1 loss on Sunday.
Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6th, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
Atkinson’s recognition as Coach of the Year underscores the Cavaliers’ rapid rise and signals a promising new chapter for a team looking to contend deep into the postseason.
