Kenny Atkinson, head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has officially been named the 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year. Atkinson went 64-18 in his first season with the Cavaliers leading them to the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. He is now the sixth winner in the past 11 seasons to win the award in his first year coaching a new team. The Cavaliers were already a playoff team under previous head coach, JB Bickerstaff. He led them to 48 victories last season. However, it is hard to ignore the 16-win improvement this team had once Kenny Atkinson took over the reins. Now, Cleveland is one of the favorites to win the NBA Finals.
Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach, Kenny Atkinson, Named Coach of the Year
Kenny Atkinson’s Successful Year With Cleveland
Under Kenny Atkinson’s lead, the Cleveland Cavaliers took the next step toward becoming a contender this year. The core four of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and Jarrett Allen, looks as cohesive as ever. Mobley took a step forward in his development and is now the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Mitchell is learning to play within the team concept and is still proving to be one of the best shooting guards in the Association.
As for Garland and Allen, they continue to play within their roles and have a case for being a couple of the more underrated players in the league. Much of this is credited to Atkinson’s tutelage. Cleveland has been a perfect fit for him. After all, he has plenty of years of experience as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors, where he learned under head coach, Steve Kerr. Now, his patience is paying off and has a legitimate chance to win an NBA title as a head coach.
Cavaliers Looking Like a Legitimate Title Contender
The Cavaliers have looked dominant with Kenny Atkinson at the helm. Per FanDuel, they have +500 odds to win the NBA Finals as of May 6th, 2025. They did lose Game One against the Indiana Pacers, but many peers still expect them to win the series. As of May 6th, 2025, Cleveland ranks first in field goal percentage (50.5 percent), second in three-point shooting percentage (40.4 percent), and third in team defensive rating (106.8) in the postseason.
It should also be noted that Darius Garland has missed some time this postseason. However, Cleveland has not missed a beat. With the success Kenny Atkinson has had this year, one cannot overlook this Cleveland Cavaliers squad going forward. They have become one of the most complete teams in the Association during Atkinson’s first season as their head coach. All things considered, Kenny Atkinson was very deserving of the NBA Coach of the Year award.
