Mark Daigneault of the Thunder has been selected as the NBA’s Coach of the Year for the 2023/24 season, the league announced today (Twitter link).
Daigneault coached one of the league’s youngest rosters to the top spot in the Western Conference this season, compiling a 57-25 record. It has been a remarkable turnaround in recent years for the Thunder, who won just 24 games in 2021/22 and 40 in ’22/23.
While there was an expectation that Oklahoma City would take another step forward this season, the team’s preseason over/under projection was 44.5 wins — the Thunder surpassed that mark with more than a month left in the season.
Daigneault, who also earned Coach of the Year honors this season from the National Basketball Coaches Association, won the NBA’s official COY award in a landslide, racking up 89 first-place votes, compared to 10 for all the remaining candidates. He had nine second-place votes and one third-place vote for 473 (of a maximum 495) points (Twitter link).
The Magic‘s Jamahl Mosley was the runner-up with four first-place votes and 158 points. Chris Finch of the Timberwolves wound up third with 105 points, followed by the Celtics‘ Joe Mazzulla (79 points) and the Knicks‘ Tom Thibodeau (59 points).
Daigneault, in his fourth season as the Thunder’s head coach, joins Scott Brooks (2009/10) as the only coaches in franchise history to earn the award.
The Heat won 46 games this year with 35… yes THIRTY FIVE different starting lineups… Spoelstra wasn’t even considered by the media lol…… this man is voted best coach in the NBA every season… yet will never get that trophy #MiamiBias
He was named a top 15 coach in NBA history…people already know he is a great coach.
Lets not act like coaching in the East is that hard though. When 2 teams can be way below 500 and still make the play in. That will impact any East coach as being good enough for COY.
The Thunder WON the NBA Western Conference with the youngest roster in the league. This coming in just 2 years from finishing almost last in it.
Your argument is invalid next to that. MD was an easy choice here.
Youngest roster … but with 5 recent 1st round draft picks & 3 2nd round picks OKC should be darn good.
What is the excuse for Pistons, Hornets, Wizards? They have just as many or more. Why do they suck every year?
Well deserved, 2nd youngest team made them compete with vet heavy teams for #1. Helped guys like Dort & Joe who were undrafted.
Didn’t let Giddey lose confidence when being left open.
They compete on defense despite being smaller and fun a great offense.
Predictable, and deserved. This particular award has always followed a results vs media expectations path, and this choice fits with that. Personally, I’d have gone with Finch. I think his coaching was of far more consequence in turning MIN into a contender than MD’s was in OKC. I also don’t like rewarding supposed improvement from an expectation baseline formed based on a multi-year tanking job.
I guess I’m good with it …..
In Thibs we trust …… there is no way Thibs is 5th. OKC or Minny loses the players we lost. They don’t win 50 gms……
MVP ……. MVP ……… MVP ……… MVP
Winner and the candidates, went as expected …….. Spo deserved it before, not this year though.
I’m still surprised Orlando turned the corner so well
Playing in the East definitely helped but I agree. The last 3 seasons Orlando has done a great job building that roster