Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has been named the winner of the 2025 Michael H. Goldberg National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) Coach of the Year Award, becoming one of the most recognized coaches by his peers in the NBA this season.

The award is voted by all NBA head coaches and is intended to recognize outstanding coaches who lead players' growth on the court and actively participate in community building off the court. Atkinson stood out from many candidates and won this honor with his outstanding coaching performance and leadership ability.

Atkinson, 57, started coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers in June 2024. This is his first season, but he has led the team to an excellent record of first in the Eastern Conference and second in the league. The Cleveland Cavaliers have achieved 64 wins and 18 losses this season, a full 16 wins over last season.

This record tied the second best record in the history of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it was also the first time the team had won more than 60 games since the 2009-10 season. More importantly, Atkinson became the first head coach in NBA history to lead a new team to 15 consecutive wins at the start of the season.

Under Atkinson's coaching, the Cleveland Cavaliers have made significant breakthroughs in both offense and defense. Whether it is average points per game, offensive efficiency, effective field goal percentage or true shooting percentage, the team ranks first in the league. The team ranks among the top in many key statistics, fully demonstrating Atkinson's tactical philosophy and coaching skills.

Therefore, Atkinson's winning of the NBCA Coach of the Year award is well deserved. When receiving the award, Atkinson said: "It is an extremely precious and grateful honor to be recognized by my peers. I would like to thank the players for their dedication and contribution, and the coaching staff and logistics team for their hard work. Without them, there would be no such journey."

Atkinson's award is not only a recognition of his personal coaching ability, but also a sign that the Cleveland Cavaliers are recovering strongly and becoming one of the strong contenders for the championship this season. The upcoming playoffs will be a new battlefield for him to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to write a legend again.