Kenny Atkinson (Cleveland Cavaliers)
May 2025
In his debut season, Kenny Atkinson led the Cavaliers to 64 wins and the No. 1 seed in the East, earning him NBA Coach of the Year honors. He received 59 of 100 first-place votes, surpassing former Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Houston’s Ime Udoka.
Atkinson reshaped rotations to elevate Evan Mobley, reduced star workloads, and used training camp to install a faster, team-oriented style. His system produced three All-Stars and a record-setting sweep over Miami in Round 1.