HokageEzio | Knicks

81 | 5 hours ago

Hornets’ resurgence started too late for him to end up in the top 3 imo. I don’t even think Ty Lue ends up in the top 3 even though their turn around was even more extreme than Charlotte.

Past-Effect3404 | Suns

68 | 4 hours ago

Ty is coaching a team with an extra 50 mil in cap space, he shouldn’t win shit

Sijols | Knicks

14 | 3 hours ago

I nominate cash considerations for most improved player

Competitive-Spot688 | Spurs

7 | 4 hours ago

Wish I could upvote this more than once.

juicejug | Celtics

5 | 4 hours ago

Also a case could be made that the Hornets’ resurgence was due to just getting healthy more than exceptional coaching. Although Charles Lee is an excellent coach by all accounts.

TatumBrownWhite | Celtics

1 | 3 hours ago

IDK I think you can make the case that they’re the most improved team in the league by such a wide margin that that merits consideration.

Like something as simple as just looking at the change in Elo Rating, the Hornets are +223 compared to what they were prior to this season. That’s around where the Cavs were last year under Atkinson before they farted around the last 10 games of the season.

The Hornets have gone from 27th in the league in Elo to 7th, that’s worthy of CoTY.

The only other candidate you could argue has made such a similar drastic difference is the Spurs with Mitch Johnson, who have gone from 15th to 2nd, but there are some extenuating circumstances there as they added basically an MVP-level player and an All-Star player to their roster as Wemby nor Fox really played much for them last season.

Now I guess you can argue the Hornets have had somewhat of a similar case in injury luck as they’ve added a healthy LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, in addition to drafting Knueppel.

FartrelCluggins | BOS

3 | 3 hours ago

You can bring up all the advanced stats you want but at the end of the day a 9 seed isn’t winning coach of the year

TatumBrownWhite | Celtics

1 | 2 hours ago

Elo Rating is hardly an ‘advanced stat’ lol, but regardless could then make the argument for Mitch Johnson as they’re likely going to get 60 wins, which nobody saw coming.

Joe has obviously done a hell of a job and is obviously a deserving winner, but also some of our players were just flat out underrated going into this season like DWhite, PP and Queta.

Tom_Der | Spurs

79 | 5 hours ago

Honorable mention to Jordan Ott, Suns have been insane compared to the grim outlook at the beginning of the season. Even if the last weeks has been not as good (injuries do hit like that)

mrb4 | Suns

17 | 5 hours ago

They’ve still been competitive even after the injuries is the crazy part. Just have a hellacious schedule currently and been losing in excruciating fashion at the end of games.

braddeus | Heat

78 | 5 hours ago

Haven’t even mentioned Doc yet

SeizureMode | Pistons

46 | 5 hours ago

I refuse to believe he is one of the 30 best basketball coaches in the world

moby323 | 76ers

26 | 5 hours ago

He currently might not be one of the 30 best in Wisconsin.

Players don’t stay good players forever, why would that be true of coaches?

braddeus | Heat

6 | 5 hours ago

Never forget that beside all the Giannis drama he bravely led the Bucks through this adversity

AdvancedMilk7795

5 | 5 hours ago

Hahahaha, was not what I expected when I clicked that link

ColdCocking | Hornets

3 | 4 hours ago

I legitimately think I could coach the Bucks better next season and I’ve never coached a basketball team before.

daymanahhhahhhhhh | Celtics

1 | 25 minutes ago

Peak Reddit comment right here lol

closedtowedshoes | MIL

2 | 5 hours ago

Top 15 all time nba coach Glenn Rivers 🙄

Financial-Present282

46 | 5 hours ago

mitch johnson turning that spurs team around has been mental to watch, proper impressed with how he’s got them playing

commander_bugo | Spurs

40 | 5 hours ago

I think he’s great, but it’s hard to give him as much credit as Mazzula when they basically added an all-star level player in Fox this year, the second overall pick in a very good draft, and had another year of development for the potential future goat and the previous ROY. There is just an incredible amount of talent on this team, I think they would be really good even with a mediocre coach.

juicejug | Celtics

23 | 4 hours ago

I think the Spurs “overachieving” has more to do with the media simply not recognizing the insane amount of talent on this team.

fake-tall-man

5 | 3 hours ago

I guess if you measure it against preseasons expectations they were both projected to be 40-44 win teams depending on the day. I agree, it should be mazzula, mostly because I never understood the spurs win projection and I thought they’d be a 50 win team this year form the jump, but they’ve both overachieved by a similar margin.

KARSbenicillin

3 | 2 hours ago

I’m half-and-half on this. On one hand, the Spurs had almost all the pieces they need to be championship contenders. The front office solved that this offseason (plus getting super lucky with Harper and Carter Bryant). If people were watching from Wemby’s 2nd season with CP3, all they needed was just a few more pushes to be solid. Like they say, pro sports is all about those little margins of improvement.

On the other, IMO it is undeniable that Mitch has massively stepped up his coaching this year. Just in the same way it’s undeniable that not just Wemby, but everyone on the team has upped their game. Mitch got outcoached pretty bad in some of the early games in the season but game management has been so much better now. Likewise, I think we can’t ignore just how much a player like Carter Bryant has developed under the Spur’s coaching team. Overall I think Mitch is a good-great coach. More importantly, he’s the coach the Spurs needed as an organization. I don’t think the Spurs would be doing this well with say, Thibbs.

I’d still probably give COTY to Mazulla or Bickerstaff though.

raivetica20 | Spurs

1 | 23 minutes ago

They’re definitely still overachieving even beyond their talent level, and that has a lot to do with Mitch. He’s managed to get a young team mostly consisting of guys who have never played winning basketball in the NBA to very quickly develop the level of chemistry, composure, and consistency that you see from teams that have been winning for years. He’s actually an interesting comparison to Mazzulla, who, even with the roster shakeup and injuries, maintained a core group of guys from the title winning team that still carried the same winning identity. I think Mitch’s achievement is in how quickly he’s (re)establishing a winning identity in San Antonio while Mazzulla’s achievement is in showing how far that identity can take you as long as you still have people to carry it forward on the roster and in the front office. What Mazzulla is doing is the culmination of several years of great coaching (and why I ultimately think he deserves COTY), while Mitch is basically setting his team up to potentially succeed in similar circumstances.

moby323 | 76ers

10 | 5 hours ago

They remind me a bit of Mazzula’s Celtics in that they play with such focus.

Sea_Tailor_8437

20 | 5 hours ago

I think I give the edge to Mazzula. This was supposed to be a gap year with their best player out with an ACL

Mazula had them 2nd in the east AND THEN TATUM CAME BACK.

If that’s not coach of the year performance idk what is.

Stock-Luck3390

4 | 5 hours ago

What do you call it when I British person takes a look at something? A propaganda

itsdrewmiller | Timberwolves

1 | 5 hours ago

Feels more like they are slightly ahead of timeline and drafted well than he is some kind of super coach. The other three are more surprising IMHO.

Melodicmarc | Thunder

1 | 5 hours ago

I mean I think they should be the favorite to win the chip if playoff inexperience doesn’t get to them. I wonder how the Celtics would match up against them with all their 3p shooting

holyyguava | Hornets

40 | 5 hours ago

I don’t think Charles Lee should win this year, but if they continue this next year then I could see it.

I’m just happy the team has finally bought into the things he’s been preaching. So many of the fans in the sub have shit on Lee as if he was the problem. Kept telling them to be patient and that he is not the problem. Him and Kon are helping change the expectations in the locker room and the rest of the guys fell in line. Pat has been a great vet to have as well.

DrCarm3x

16 | 4 hours ago

Don’t let this distract you from the fact that Charles Lee shit the bed at the Battle of Monmouth.

somms999 | Celtics

4 | 4 hours ago

Never had the makings of a varsity commander-in-chief.

amidon1130 | Hawks

1 | an hour ago

I’m a general, wheeeeeee!!!

Akipella | Warriors

18 | 5 hours ago

Kind of hot takes here but for me it’s Wemby MVP and Mazzula COTY

juicejug | Celtics

8 | 4 hours ago

Mazzulla COTY isn’t a hot take at all and the WemVP take is cooling by the game.

Akipella | Warriors

0 | 4 hours ago

I guess more so my combination is a hot take. I understand Mitch Johnson but to me Wemby’s rise, and Castle and Harper etc. their drafting and teambuilding has been huge too. So I feel like in terms of raw coaching achievement this year it’s gotta be Mazzula. Bickerstaff and Lee are up there too though (but the Hornets turnaround is far too late for Lee to win it imo).

juicejug | Celtics

3 | 4 hours ago

I’m just saying that at this point neither of your takes are especially hot. Mazzulla has been a top 2 or 3 candidate for COTY most of the season and Wemby has been making a great case for himself over the past 3 months.

s4ntana | TOR

1 | 3 hours ago

this is the most lukewarm take Ive ever seen

Akipella | Warriors

1 | 3 hours ago

Well I guess that’s good then

kl08pokemon | Lakers

9 | 5 hours ago

Shout out JJ too (not saying he should be top 3)

abc4357 | Lakers

5 | 5 hours ago

JJ does not get enough credit. Back to back 50 win seasons with a flawed roster, a ton of time missed by the main guys, and so much media pressure. He’s taken for granted.

3luejays | Raptors

2 | 5 hours ago

The roster is absolutely flawed, and the injuries are legit, but not many teams have LeBron James as the third option. Even at his age, he’s an incredible player. Come on. I don’t think JJ is taken for granted. This is a good team.

AgentUpvote | LAL

4 | 3 hours ago

I only watch Laker games but JJ’s end of game clutch plays are actually amazing how well drawn up they are.

moby323 | 76ers

2 | 5 hours ago

Jordan Ott as well

Few_Position_2727 | Lakers

9 | 5 hours ago

Hornets look like they’ve really bought in with Lee at HC. Love what he’s doing with them and it’s a shame he’s not getting more recognition!! Kon has integrated seamlessly with this squad

Nuclearsunburn | Heat

8 | 4 hours ago

Huh, I find this one much more clear cut, it’s Mazzulla for me and Stevens is the Executive of the year.

No Tatum and being the second seed while having guys like Quetta and Pritchard step up in a huge way, your best player being at a - in plus / minus and still in the MVP fringe, all of that speaks to the best coaching job in the last few years.

Those other teams are the same story of “multiple top 5 picks finally coming together”, for me it’s Mazzulla 100% no argument.

amidon1130 | Hawks

1 | 23 minutes ago

Can’t argue with this, they sold their entire front court and somehow made it work. Going from a possible tanking year to being the favorites in the East is insane.

Frequent_Read_7636

5 | 5 hours ago

Anyone that can get the hornets a winning season deserves to be head coach of the year IMO.

Various-Advisor4623

6 | 5 hours ago

Mitch Johnson’s work with the Spurs is amazing. Yes, I’m always surprised when an injury-depleted roster makes the top of the conference or a team that was historically bad is #1 seed. But as a fan, I’m having the most fun watching the Spurs dominate. And for a team that was barely projected to make the play-offs at the least

Razorback_Thunder | Thunder

5 | 2 hours ago

Daigneault shouldn’t win and probably shouldn’t get (m)any votes, but he has also had a very good coaching year. Keeping OKC on top of the league standings (for now, Spurs apparently will never lose again; insert Mitch CotY case) while navigating the 2nd most injuries in the league is more impressive to me than his CotY winning season.

SiakamWithTheSlam | Pacers

4 | 5 hours ago

My mind tells me that this should be Charles Lee’s award without a second thought. I can’t remember a time in my life where the Hornets looked above average, and with how the season started out, most people probably thought it would be the same old story. LaMelo, Knueppel, Diabate, Miller, etc. deserve a ton of credit for playing with such heart, but the secret sauce to me has been Lee’s lineups and rotations. He always seems to have a good idea of who should be on the floor, and his starting 5 is a big reason that the Hornets look like a legitimately scary force in the East.

Mitch would be my other top choice given the Spurs’ massive jump, but I feel like a lot of us expected the turnaround at some point. Wemby and Castle winning ROTY made it seem like the Spurs’ rise was inevitable, and they finally have the pieces they need to run the West. The Hornets’ ascension has been astoundingly unpredictable, and that’s what I love about it so much. Buzz buzz, mfers!

turdmcburgular

3 | 5 hours ago

This is what im here for.

Above his rotations, it’s his ability to get the players to buy in defensively while taking their playing to the next level.

The other coach’s have such sound programs and elite talent, it’s easy to overlook them. I like Lue, Lee, and Bickerstaff in no particular order.

juicejug | Celtics

2 | 4 hours ago

The Hornets ascendance is more due to everyone finally being healthy at the same time. They’ve had terrible injury luck since drafting Miller. That being said, Lee is a great coach and it’s nice that he finally has a team in shape enough to show it.

karl_hungas | Lakers

3 | an hour ago

Wow out of 4 people only 3 will make the top 3? I wonder if this has ever happened before?

JaceGhost | Knicks

2 | 5 hours ago

It’s Mitch Johnson’s to lose, tbh but if they don’t give it to him this year he’ll have any of the next 3-4 years to win it anyway

Round_Clock_3942

12 | 5 hours ago

Roster quality wise speaking, Mazzula may be the clearest winner. Other teams you can point to a player or two as the primary reason for the turnaround - Celtics lost talent all around and performed only slightly worse over the season.

wlamb30 | Hornets

-5 | 5 hours ago

I mean, it must be nice strolling to work as Johnson. Has a generational talent in Wemby, reigning rookie of the year in castle, De’Aaron Fox, and the #2 pick of this years draft class. Not much ‘work’ needed.

Spurs draft *luck* has been insane…1.1 in ‘23, 1.4 in ‘24, 1.2 in ‘25. Odd that they’ve moved up every time they’re in the lottery. Never stayed where their best odds are, never fallen, but always moved up…

Round_Clock_3942

4 | 4 hours ago

Not disagreeing about Mitch completely, though even the most stacked teams need a somewhat decent coach to succeed. But your statement about the Spurs always moving up, is factually wrong. Even within the 3 years you specifically mentioned, they had joint top odds at the 1st overall pick in 2023, and got the 4th pick with exactly the 4th worst record in the league in the 2024 draft. Still vey lucky, especially not to drop during the Wemby draft - but the bottom 3 teams get the same chance at the top 4 picks now with the flattened odds.

maestroenglish | SAS

1 | 3 hours ago

Ringz

Ok-Wash-9386

1 | an hour ago

“Mitch Johnson”

moby323 | 76ers

1 | an hour ago

Yes that’s his name

cityofpalms

1 | an hour ago

One of these is not like the others

Nuclearsunburn | Heat

1 | 10 minutes ago

Yup, Johnson, Lee, and Bickerstaff all have rosters of very high recent draft picks all coming together, Mazzulla has guided the second seed in the East without his top player, nothing else matches what he’s done this season

cityofpalms

1 | 6 minutes ago

9 seed

urkish | Hornets

1 | 33 minutes ago

This might be shocking, but some of the people in the below list are not in the top 5 NBA players of all time

Larry Bird
Wilt Chamberlain
Bill Russell
Michael Jordan
Magic Johnson
Lebron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Tim Duncan

sanitycheck2001 | Pistons

1 | 29 minutes ago

I swear the pistons have horrible marketing. JB bickerstaff should absolutely be in the COTY running.

Dm-me-a-gyro | Spurs

1 | 22 minutes ago

Give it to Lee

AnkitPancakes | Thunder

0 | 3 hours ago

Jordan Ott and Mark Daigneault deserve some love too

champaigneandcocaine | Spurs

0 | an hour ago

Should be lee’s easily

Doing the most with less

Nuclearsunburn | Heat

1 | 13 minutes ago

With less? My friend there are three top 4 picks in that starting 5, this is what should be expected of that roster

cashappmebitch | Wizards

-1 | 5 hours ago

If SGA or Wemby finish fourth get rid of the award lmao. Also, Mazzulla should win it

Dabturell | Bucks

-2 | 5 hours ago

Jordan Ott deserves it way more than Charles Lee imho, Hornets woke up pretty late in the season

It’s true: either Wemby, Luka, SGA, or Jokic will not even finish in the top 3 for MVP. But how about the fact that either Mitch Johnson (Spurs), Bickerstaff (Pistons), Mazzula (Celtics), and Charles Lee (Hornets) will not even finish in the top 3 for COTY. Great coaching performances all around.