Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has won the Michael H. Goldberg award for the 2023/24 season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports that Daigneault has been named the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year.
This award, introduced in 2017 and named after longtime NBCA executive director Michael H. Goldberg, is voted on by the NBA’s 30 head coaches, none of whom can vote for himself.
However, it isn’t the NBA’s official Coach of the Year award, which is voted on by media members and is represented by the Red Auerbach Trophy. The winner of that award will be announced later this spring.
J.B. Bickerstaff (Cavaliers), Chris Finch (Timberwolves), Joe Mazzulla (Celtics), and Jamahl Mosley (Magic) also received votes from their fellow coaches for this year’s NBCA award, per Wojnarowski.
Daigneault, who is just 39 years old, has overseen the rebuild in Oklahoma City since 2020. After winning just 22 games in his first year on the job, the Thunder increased that total to 24 in 2021/22, 40 in ’22/23, and 57 in ’23/24. That 57-25 record this season made the Thunder the improbable No. 1 seed in the West in their first trip to the playoffs during Daigneault’s tenure.
As Wojnarowski points out, Oklahoma City was one of just two NBA teams this season – along with Boston – to finish in the top five in both offensive and defensive rating. The Thunder’s 118.3 offensive rating ranked third in the NBA, while their 111.0 defensive rating was fourth.
The NBCA Coach of the Year award has frequently been a bellwether for the NBA’s Coach of the Year honor, which bodes well for Daigneault. In five of the seven years since the award’s inception, the winner has gone on to be named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.
Probably my fav team to watch outside of the Hawks (along with Hou & Dal). Cason, Wiggins, Joe & JWill have be SO key off the bench for these guys & will continue to be. But Hayward is gonna have to step up & channel that Utah Hayward at times when they’re on the road & facing adversity/future HOFers.
I think Mazzulla should’ve won it… But I’m not mad at the selection. Mazzulla is actually the youngest head coach in the league at 35yrs old. He had a talented roster for sure, but he had them do what they were supposed… Finished #1 in offensive efficiency, best ever actually. Second in defensive efficiency. And I believe the all time best efficiency differential in league history. That’s coach of the year right there.
Agree 100% Mazzulla deserved it. Yes, OKC surprised but they have boatloads of young talented top draft picks, including SHA, Holmgren, Jaylen Williams, Dort, Giddey, 2 more Williams. OKC won 57 while the Celtics won 64.
If having boatloads of young talent mattered.
Char, Portland,SAS, Detroit, and Wiz would be good.
OKC is the 2nd youngest team while Bos was good last year they didn’t make any real leap.
Chet is a “Rookie” so unknown if actually can play in NBA and handle the physical day to day.
Dort role player, major defensive guy.
Giddey had the off court issue and was being left open.
Kenrich Williams is a role guy
Isiah Joe was picked up after 76ers dropped him
Jaylin Williams is solid role guy
They managed to get the #1 seed in the tough West.
Historically, COY usually goes to the HC of the team that most outperforms expectations. This selection is in accordance with that. I believe that great coaching jobs would be better measured in periods of greater than a single season, but this award is for coaching in a single season, so its hard to argue with the selection methodology.
Mazzulla came into the year with no worse than one of the 3 best rosters in the game, making him essentially a non-candidate unless BOS won over 70 games or there was no significant overachiever this season. It’s fair. A good job by him should make him a championship coach, and championship coaches don’t need to win COY.