NBA Coach of the Year Odds 2024-25: Kenny Atkinson on Top

There is a science to predicting the NBA’s Coach of the Year.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Mark Daigneault won the award in 2023-24, leading his team to 57 wins and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City had a win increase of 17 games from the prior season, clearing its preseason win total by 12.5 games.

And all those factors follow a familiar pattern in this market.

Over the last 14 seasons since 2010-11, the Coach of the Year has had an average playoff seed of 1.7. Nine of the 14 winners have claimed the No. 1 seed.

The average win total for the last 14 Coach of the Year winners has been 57.2, which jumps to 59.7 by removing the three shortened seasons. The previous 14 recipients of this award have guided their respective teams to an average win improvement of 11.6 compared to the prior season.

Lastly, the average preseason win total since 2010-11 has been 45.2. Voters want to reward a coach of a team that exceeds expectations.

Simply put, I’m targeting a coach of a team with this profile:

• No. 1 seed potential
• 50 wins or fewer last year
• Path to clearing win total by double-digit games

Here’s a look at the latest NBA odds and who might be the best bet to win this year’s award:

Odds to Win NBA Coach of the Year, 2024-25

NBA Coach of the Year Odds: Kenny Atkinson is Betting Favorite

Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kenny Atkinson is the betting favorite (-130) to win NBA’s Coach of the Year award. He was as long as +3000 in the preseason when I suggested him as one of my favorite bets (along with Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer) in this market.

Under Atkinson’s leadership, the Cavs have been one of the bigger surprises to start the season. Their offense has improved and the defense remains elite, making them the primary challengers to the Boston Celtics for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. That was the theory behind investing in the Cavaliers’ division odds before the season and why Atkinson was such a solid bet in the Coach of the Year market.

In addition, I remain high on the Suns’ playoff odds and Budenholzer’s chances of contending for Coach of the Year. He was +2500 to win the award in the preseason before his first year at the helm in Phoenix. Budenholzer has improved the Suns’ shot diet, and this might be the time to jump back in on his Coach of the Year odds with the roster getting healthy again.

While Atkinson and Budenholzer remain my favorite choices in this market, I’m keeping an eye on the rest of the board for value throughout the 2024-25 NBA season.

NBA Coach of the Year Best Bets for 2024-25

• Mike Budenholzer +2500 (0.2 units) on Sept. 17.
• Kenny Atkinson +3000 (0.15 units) on Sept. 17.

I’ll update this page with my best bets in the NBA Coach of the Year market throughout the season.

NBA Coach of the Year Betting Splits

Here are the latest betting insights for the NBA Coach of the Year market at the online sportsbook:

• Most tickets: Mike Budenholzer 18.3%
• Highest handle: Kenny Atkinson 29.2%
• Biggest liability: Mike Budenholzer
• Odds leader: Kenny Atkinson

2023-24 NBA Coach of the Year Voting

List of Coach of the Year Winners