Kenny Atkinson Named NBA Coach of the Year After Transformative Season with Cavaliers

Posted : 06 May 2025

Kenny Atkinson has been named the NBA Coach of the Year after a remarkable debut season leading the Cleveland Cavaliers. Under his leadership, the team surged to 64 regular-season wins and secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Atkinson, who replaced J.B. Bickerstaff, received the majority of support from a media panel, earning 59 out of 100 first-place votes.

Detroit’s Bickerstaff came in second, while Houston's Ime Udoka finished third. This recognition capped a year where Atkinson also won the National Basketball Coaches Association’s award, which is voted on by his coaching peers.

Atkinson was deeply moved by the peer recognition, especially from veteran coaches like Rick Carlisle and Erik Spoelstra. His hiring followed an extensive search last offseason during which he traveled between France, where he was assisting the national team, and Cleveland for interviews. He impressed Cavaliers executives by presenting a clear vision for maximizing the existing roster.

His system unlocked new dimensions in team performance, leading to standout seasons for All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley, while reserves like Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter thrived in expanded roles.

A particular emphasis was placed on Evan Mobley’s development, with Atkinson adjusting lineups and creating sets designed to push the young forward as a playmaker and shooter. The results were striking—Mobley tripled his three-point output, averaged a career-best 18.5 points, earned his first All-Star selection, and was named Defensive Player of the Year. Despite reducing the overall minutes of key players like Mitchell, Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, the team enjoyed greater consistency and availability throughout the season.

The Cavaliers opened the season with a 15-0 run and maintained their dominance with additional 12- and 16-game winning streaks, ultimately sweeping 17 teams during the regular season. Their chemistry and balance, honed during a training camp at IMG Academy in Florida, translated into a dominant first-round playoff performance where they swept the Miami Heat and set a new NBA record with a 122-point series differential. Atkinson is the first Cavaliers coach to win this honor since Mike Brown in 2009.

Kenny Atkinson Named NBA Coach of the Year After Transformative Season with Cavaliers

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