2025 Coach of the Year: Kenny Atkinson vs The Rest
by Sam Cox | by Tyler Doty
Three coaches who could rival Kenny Atkinson for NBA Coach of the Year down the stretch
Kenny Atkinson is as short as -800 to win Coach of the Year at Caesars. The longest price at the time of writing is -650 at DraftKings. Ime Udoka (+1100) is the only other coach shorter than +2000 at FanDuel.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have increased their winning percentage by .226, which is a larger jump than eight of the last nine Coach of the Year winners. If voters are going to lean heavily on that measure of success for a coach for your NBA predictions, then J.B. Bickerstaff (.338 increase) should have a much shorter price than his +2500 at BetMGM.
Bickerstaff has done a great job with the Detroit Pistons, but a fair portion of their improvement this year can be attributed to the front office reshaping the roster around Cade Cunningham.
Atkinson is using largely the same group as – ironically – Bickerstaff was using in Cleveland last year. Udoka has only seen a .123 increasing in winning percentage with his Houston Rockets tailing off since the turn of the year.
The betting markets tab Udoka and Bickerstaff as the closest rivals for Atkinson. We have identified three other candidates worth backing:
Mark Daigneault -- +3000 at BetMGM
Could Mark Daigneault become the first person to win Coach of the Year in consecutive years? Gregg Popovich is the only coach to even win the award in two out of three years.
Unlike last season, Daigneault’s Oklahoma City Thunder entered this season widely tipped to make the Finals in NBA predictions. Disappearing into the distance atop the Western Conference standings doesn’t represent drastic overachievement.
Still, the Thunder currently have the best net rating in NBA history. Their defense is four points per 100 possessions better than any other team. Daigneault has had to overcome some issues despite a stacked roster, with Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren combining to play 44 games.
OKC is currently on pace to win 67 games. Holmgren is back from injury. They only have nine games to come against teams with a .600 or better winning percentage.
It’s not far-fetched that the Thunder win 70 games. If they finish three or more games ahead of the Cavs, Daigneault will have a compelling case for Coach of the Year.
Taylor Jenkins -- +2500 at FanDuel
Since their 8-7 start, the Memphis Grizzlies are third in offense and eighth in defense. Their 27-10 record over that period is only bettered by the Thunder and Cavs.
Taylor Jenkins has done this with Ja Morant playing 31 out of 52 games and Desmond Bane missing 11 games. Bane (30.2) is the only Grizzly averaging over 30 minutes per game – Jenkins is protecting his players and keeping them fresh for the playoffs while winning at a relentless rate.
Memphis has won 10 of its last 12. They have the second-hardest remaining schedule in the Association, per Tankathon, including four games against the Thunder and Cavs.
Instead of seeing these games as a threat to Jenkins’ candidacy, they are a chance for a statement performance of two. Memphis isn’t going to catch OKC, but they could consolidate the two seed in the Western Conference.
JJ Redick -- +10000 at FanDuel
JJ Redick is rightly a rank outsider. The Los Angeles Lakers’ winning percentage has only improved by .054. Redick has also been dealt a particularly favorable hand with the Luka Dončić trade.
Since LeBron James returned from his break in mid-December, the Lakers are 19-7 and sixth in net rating. Placing in the top seven at both ends of the floor, the Lakers have a new lease of life and have reeled off six wins in a row.
Only seven teams have a tougher remaining schedule, but the Lakers look capable of beating anyone at the moment. Yes, the defense remains a glaring weakness, and yes, there’s a lack of size at the five. The Mark Williams trade being rescinded has complicated things further.
There’s a path to Redick competing for this award, though. A top-two seed is within reach if the Lakers keep this up.
There is going to be even more attention on the purple and gold after the Dončić trade – just imagine the hype around LeBron, Dončić, and Redick’s coaching if the Lakers end up with 55 wins and at least two rounds with homecourt advantage.
