Suns head coach Monty Williams has won the 2020/21 Michael H. Goldberg award, as voted on by the National Basketball Coaches Association, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
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 in the year.
Williams earned the Coaches Association’s award after leading the Suns to a 51-21 record, good for second in the NBA. The club had the league’s sixth-ranked defense and seventh-ranked offense, Wojnarowski notes.
The Suns, who were 19-63 in 2018/19, became just the fifth team in NBA history to improve by at least 15 games in back-to-back seasons, per Woj. Williams accomplished that feat in his first two years in Phoenix despite dealing with pandemic-shortened seasons, making the feat even more impressive.
According to Wojnarowski, Scott Brooks (Wizards), Michael Malone (Nuggets), Nate McMillan (Hawks), Doc Rivers (Sixers), Quin Snyder (Jazz), and Tom Thibodeau (Knicks) were among the other coaches who received votes.
The previous winners of this award are as follows:
- 2020: Mike Budenholzer and Billy Donovan
- 2019: Mike Budenholzer
- 2018: Dwane Casey
- 2017: Mike D’Antoni and Erik Spoelstra
Love this!
Thibs and McMillan (what McMillan has done has been incredible) deserve some credit, but imo the Suns have been the biggest turnaround in the league. Big step forward last year but they took another leap this year.
Kudos to Williams and congrats to all the Suns fans who have hung around and had to watch some truly bad basketball over the last decade.
Let’s go Suns!!!
I thought that Stephen Silas should’ve won this because of how good the Rockets will be next year
I thought that Stephen Silas should’ve won this because of how good the Rockets will be next year
We got your hilarious joke the first time…
Must’ve been a glitch, I only sent it once
The Rox are hungry
Both did a great job, but IMO Thibs over Monty …… Thibs worked with a lesser, no-superstar crew, even losing their starting center early in the season (again mid-season).
The Knicks had a bigger jump in win totals than the Suns from last year. However, finishing in 2nd in the tough West after missing the playoffs last year gives the Suns and Williams the edge.
Thibs won 20 more games with basically the same roster should of won. CP3 gets more credit for Suns turn around more than Monty.
It’s a good point about the roster but Barrett and Randle are both better than they were last year and Derrick Rose has had a huge impact since re-joining the team.
Would be interesting to see if the previous 4 years saw the winner of this award also win the “official” coach of the year award.
I would assume each coach would vote for the same person both times. But you know what they say about assuming.
Well, here’s your answer.
This award:
2020: Mike Budenholzer and Billy Donovan
2019: Mike Budenholzer
2018: Dwane Casey
2017: Mike D’Antoni and Erik Spoelstra
Coach of the Year:
2020: Nick Nurse
2019: Mike Budenholzer
2018: Dwane Casey
2017: Mike D’Antoni
So, last year aside, they pretty much follow each other.
Don’t forget that middle initial. MHG was a lawyer, probably has a brother-in-law who is too.
The Phil Jackson award is probably more appropriate, but maybe some other org uses that name. After all, he sat on a throne!
*(referring to the name of the award).
Monty is a class act in so many ways.
Listened to Sirrus Radio all day. The Mad Dog channel. Typical NY bias whining non stop about “ Tibbs” not winning it. Sorry how does it feel not to win award. NY sports in general win because they are in NY. GOD FORBID someone other than a NY overrated player or coach win something. “ Tibbs” maybe should of won the award. Now you know ow the rest of the Universe feels. Get over yourselves.Oh yeah and Gary Sanchez is the next Johnny Bench and Michael Conforto is the next Willie Mays. Bahahaha