The first time is a charm.
From the moment he touched down in Cleveland, Kenny Atkinson has been more to his team than just a fresh voice on the sideline, he has been the catalyst for transformation and change. What started off as a hopeful hire quickly turned into something special that no one could have predicted, an historic season.
In recognition of that meteoric rise, Atkinson has been named the 2025 Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced Saturday.
The honor is one of a kind because it is voted on by all 30 NBA head coaches, speaking volumes. The award is a recognition not just for success on the court, but of respect. Atkinson’s peers crowned him for leading the Cavaliers to a 64-18 record, which is the second-best mark in franchise history, and for turning the team from postseason hopefuls into legitimate championship contenders.
“Kenny Atkinson has long been respected by his peers as an innovative and humble servant to the game,” said Indiana Pacers head coach and NBCA President Rick Carlisle. “Congratulations to Kenny on a historic season along with this prestigious recognition by his peers.”
When the recognition for the award came up during Saturday’s post-practice media availability, Atkinson became emotional.
It was the first time his eyes showed the weight of a season’s worth of triumphs, a rare moment of vulnerability, where reflection replaced the nonstop focus that has defined his Cleveland debut.
“When your peers name you coach of the year, and I look at the list of all the guys that have won, but all the guys you face every night, and they actually think you’re the coach of the year. It’s a little bit surreal,” Atkinson said. “I know this has been a special year and I know it’s about our team’s success.
Embed from Getty Images“But listen, I think Dan Gilbert took a risk hiring me, right? That’s a risk. And Koby [Altman], same thing. He believed in me. That’s a big part of it. And you got this group of players that have trusted the staff and it’s just all those things together. You’re just thankful.”
The risk has been well worth the reward to this point.
Cleveland rewrote their record book this season behind Atkinson and his players.
The Cavaliers secured their first 60-win season since 2009-10 and shattered the franchise record with 30 out of a possible 41 road victories.
Atkinson made history as the first coach to start 15-0 with a new team, and his squad did not rest on their laurels, delivering three of the four longest win streaks in the league this season, 16, 15, and 12 games, respectively. That made the Cavs just the second team in NBA history to record three separate 12-game win streaks in a single year, joining the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks.
When Altman and Governor Gilbert tapped Atkinson, the plan was laid out and the goal was clear: modernize and maximize the offense. Mission accomplished, and then some.
Cleveland finished top three in nearly every major offensive category, planting itself as a juggernaut on that end of the floor.
The Cavs led the NBA in points per game (121.9), offensive rating (121.0), effective field goal percentage (57.8), and true shooting percentage (60.7). They were second in overall field goal percentage (49.1), 3-point percentage (38.3), 3s made per game (15.9), and point differential (+9.5). And they rounded it out with the league’s third-best net rating (9.2).
The reflection process was quick for Atkinson, and he has seldomly allowed himself the chance to do so with the playoffs just around the corner.
Cleveland welcomes the battle-tested Miami Heat on Sunday to begin the first-round of the playoffs.
Fittingly, Atkinson was about 30 minutes late to his post-practice press conference, not because he was celebrating, but because he was deep in a “quarterbacks meeting,” breaking down end-of-game scenarios before the well-coached Heat come to town.
The Cavaliers are not satisfied. Not yet.
Donovan Mitchell was not aware of the news for his head coach until he was told after practice. A celebration might be on the horizon after shootaround on Sunday, but the collective mindset remains sharp.
Atkinson understands what is at stake. He has achieved a great deal in his first season, more than anyone could have expected, but he still talks like a coach chasing something.
“I think we all have a chip on our shoulder,” Atkinson said after the Cavs’ final regular season game. “Now it’s kind of going good to great is the hardest of all, but I feel like we’re in a good place physically and mentally.”
One award down. Four playoff rounds to go.
