2023 NBA Coach of the Year Predictions, Best Bets, Picks

• Get the most recent 2023 NBA Coach of the Year odds!
• Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka opens as the favorite to win the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year!
• View stats and trends that will help you beat the sportsbooks!

The NBA returns for its 77th season when the 2022-2023 schedule kicks off. After what has been an exciting offseason, with a number of interesting moves, all eyes are on the coaches who can maximize the talents of their roster.

Ime Udoka leads the pack as the favorite to win the Coach of the Year award in 2023. However, after some breakout performances in the 2022 NBA Playoffs, there are plenty of coaches who look to lead their teams further than last year.

Let’s take a look at the most interesting questions about the NBA Coach of the Year award!

2023 NBA Coach of the Year Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

For two seasons preceding the COVID-19 pandemic altered schedule, the NBA Coach of the Year has been named at the annual NBA Awards show. After the cancellation of the NBA Awards ceremony, the prize winner was announced during the NBA Playoffs.

The winner of the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year award will be the 60th winner in NBA history. The first-ever NBA Coach of the Year award was given in 1963.

The criteria that define a Coach of the Year winner is wide but is mostly defined by a team’s improved record.

Ime Udoka – Boston Celtics

“Man f— that!”

The Celtics had to douse Ime Udoka with the water after winning Game 7 ?

(via @celtics) pic.twitter.com/dXgrMVhsFJ

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 30, 2022

The early frontrunner for the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year Award is Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. In his first experience leading an NBA team, Udoka’s Boston Celtics reached the NBA Finals. While they lost in six games, his accomplishment is nothing to scoff at.

After what was thought to be a rehaul of the Boston Celtics’ organization, mainly the departure of Danny Ainge and the resignation of Brad Stevens, Ime Udoka overachieved. The Celtics finished second in the Eastern Conference, just two games behind first place.

It’s to Udoka’s benefit that the main core of his roster is still so young. At 23 and 25 respectively, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown aren’t even in their prime years and have accomplished so much. With their play at Udoka’s direction, it’s easy to see why he’s the favorite for the award.

Who are the Contenders for 2023 NBA Coach of the Year?

Taylor Jenkins – Memphis Grizzlies

“We’re the furthest thing from dirty, we’re competitive.”

— Taylor Jenkins on the narrative that the Grizzlies are “dirty”

? @samariaterry pic.twitter.com/7WGqzzWb4h

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 5, 2022

The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off of a season where they surprised many by reaching the Western Conference Semifinals. With the rise of Ja Morant and Memphis’ role players, Taylor Jenkins has all the tools to carve out a place amongst the Western Conference’s elite.

Since joining the Memphis Grizzlies, Taylor Jenkins has improved his teams record every season. In 2022 the Grizzlies tied their franchise record for wins with 56. However with the competitive nature of the Western Conference, Jenkins will have a tall task challenging for the top of the table.

The Memphis Grizzlies haven’t made many big moves this summer, opting to rely on the growth of their home-grown core. If the Grizzlies players can make another jump, Jenkins is the man to lead them to a winning record.

Jason Kidd – Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are coming off their most successful season in over a decade. Prior to taking the job, @DallasMavs Head Coach Jason Kidd joined the #MicDrop to share his excitement about reuniting with @Swish41 & tell us something most don’t know about the Mavs’ G.O.A.T. Tune in!? pic.twitter.com/YbUgnVLDz3

— Mic Drop (@MicDropDallas) July 25, 2022

After a tumultuous time as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, Jason Kidd seems to have found a home in Dallas. Directing a guard with the versatility and playmaking of Luka Doncic has clearly been a pleasure for Kidd, who led the Mavericks to their best record since 2010-2011.

Dallas lost their lead guard in Jalen Brunson this summer, but went in a different direction and acquired versatile big man Christian Wood. With their frontcourt issues hopefully resolved, the Mavericks project to put in an even stronger performance in 2023.

Chris Finch – Minnesota Timberwolves

Rudy Gobert on Chris Finch:

“A really good coach that complains about my screens all the time. So, now we are on the same side.” pic.twitter.com/rcLS1WJoNA

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) July 6, 2022

The Minnesota Timberwolves may be one of the league’s most interesting teams after acquiring three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Chris Finch earned the Timberwolves just their third playoff berth in 18 years, and will look to improve Minnesota’s already young core and high-powered offence.

Who Was the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year?

“This is so stinkin’ cool.”

The @Suns surprised Monty Williams with his Coach of the Year award ? pic.twitter.com/evHTg4brYu

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 9, 2022

Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams won the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year award. It was Williams’ first time winning the award, after narrowly losing the prize in 2021.

Williams led the 2022 Phoenix Suns to a 64-18 record, the best mark in the Western Conference and NBA. The Suns’ record improved by 13 wins, while going from 9th to 3rd in overall defensive rating.

After narrowly losing the award in 2021, Williams could not be denied in 2022. He earned 81 first place votes, and totalled 458 points in the voting process – more than double the runner-up.

When Will the NBA Coach of the Year be Announced?

The NBA Coach of the Year winner is expected to be named in mid-to-late June, during the NBA Playoffs. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the NBA to adjust their schedule over the last two seasons, cancelling the NBA Awards for the foreseeable future.

There is no set date for when the winner will be announced, but it is usually announced during a broadcast of Inside the NBA.

NBA Coach of the Year by Year

Who Selects the NBA Coach of the Year Winner?

The NBA Coach of the Year is selected at the end of the regular season by a panel of sportswriters from the United States and Canada.  Each member of the voting panel casts a vote for their first, second, and third place selections – each vote is worth five, three, and one point, respectively.

The coach who receives the highest point total, regardless of first-place votes, is named the NBA Coach of the Year!

Does the NBA Coach of the Year Receive a Prize?

The NBA Coach of the Year is presented the Red Auerbach Trophy. The trophy is named in honor of the legendary Boston Celtics coach who led his team to nine NBA championships between 1956 and 1966.

Who Has Won NBA Coach of the Year Multiple Times?

How Many NBA Coach of the Year Winners are in the Basketball Hall of Fame?

The NBA Coach of the Year Award tends to signify a coach who will go on to enjoy a long NBA career. With enough sustained success, great coaches will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. There have been 12 NBA Coach of the Year winners who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame:

• Larry Brown
• Pat Riley
• Phil Jackson
• Lenny Wilkens
• Don Nelson
• Cotton Fitzsimmons
• Bill Fitch
• Tom Heinsohn
• Bill Sharman
• Red Holzman
• Red Auerbach
• Alex Hannum

Has a Non-American Coach Ever Won Coach of the Year?

Every winner of the NBA Coach of the Year Award has been American. However, two-time Coach of the Year Mike D’Antoni, although born in the United States, holds dual citizenship between the United States and Italy.

Which Team Has Produced the Most Coach of the Year Winners?

The team that has produced the most NBA Coach of the Year Winners have been the Atlanta Hawks, as well as its former iteration the St. Louis Hawks. The six winners for the Atlanta Hawks were:

• 2015: Mike Budenholzer
• 1994: Lenny Wilkens
• 1986: Mike Fratello
• 1978: Hubie Brown
• 1968: Richie Guerin
• 1963: Harry Gallatin

Which Team Has Never Produced a Coach of the Year Winner?

In current NBA history, there are only three teams that have not produced an NBA Coach of the Year winner:

• Minnesota Timberwolves
• Brooklyn Nets
• LA Clippers

2023 sees Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch and LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue as real contenders to earn their team’s first Coach of the Year Award