NBA Coach of the Year Odds | Kenny Atkinson The Favorite

Kenny Atkinson's Cavaliers have the best record in the NBA entering December. It is no surprise that he is currently the favorite to win NBA Coach of the Year.

Ryan Murphy - Managing Editor at Covers.com
Ryan Murphy • Managing Editor
Nov 30, 2024 • 14:58 ET • 4 min read
NBA Coach of the Year odds
Photo By - Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers raced out to a 17-3 record to start the season and, in turn, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson (-115) is at the top of NBA Coach of the Year odds boards. More NBA odds for COY show the Rockets' Ime Udoka (+700) and Orlando's Jamahl Mosley (+1000) in the mix as well.

NBA Coach of the Year odds

Player DraftKings FanDuel bet365
Cavaliers Kenny Atkinson -125 -115 -115
Rockets Ime Udoka +750 +700 +750
Warriors Steve Kerr +1000 +1000 +900
Celtics Joe Mazzulla +1200 +1500 +1200
Magic Jamahl Mosley +1200 +1000 +1200
Clippers Tyronn Lue +2200 +1500 +1600
Grizzlies Taylor Jenkins +2200 +1900 +1900
Lakers JJ Redick +2200 +3500 +2400
Suns Mike Budenholzer +3000 +4000 +3000
Thunder Mark Daigneault +3000 +4000 +2000

Odds as of 11-30-2024.

Latest NBA Coach of the Year award odds update

11/30/2024: Coaches who lead teams that exceed expectations are typically at the top of NBA Coach of the Year odds boards, particularly early in the season. The Cavs' Kenny Atkinson (-115 NBA Coach of the Year odds), the Rockets' Ime Udoka (+700) and Orlando's Jamahl Mosley (+1000) certainly fit that bill as all of their teams have gotten off to hot starts.

New York's Tom Thibodeau had been at or near the top of COY odds boards to start the season but is now +6000 to win the award. The Knicks are playing decent ball with an 11-8 record but they have not exactly lived up to their pre-season hype to this point.

10/1/2024: While Ime Udoka still leads at multiple books, he's got company near the top of the odds board.

The big news across the NBA this week was the Knicks-Wolves trade, sending Karl-Anthony Towns to New York, and Tom Thibodeau's Coach of the Year odds surging. Already a second choice for at least one major book, Thibodeau is now an industry consensus in the Top 3, and the only non-Udoka contender seeing his odds at or below 10:1 across the board.

The former two-time COY winner is about as no-nonsense as bench bosses come, and now seen to be leading a legitimate title contender, it's safe to assume he'll squeeze the very most be can out of its regular season. 

Understanding NBA Coach of the Year odds 

Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. We'll use 2022-23's Coach of the Year race as an example: 

As the season progressed, with Mike Brown having been a huge favorite, his odds had a minus (-) sign ahead of the number: 

  • Mike Brown -500

This means that a bettor needs to wager $500 to win $100. Other candidates with worse odds would have a plus (+) sign ahead of the number. Early in the season, before any clear favorite is established, betting options will be listed as such: 

  • Nick Nurse +650

Here, a bettor stands to profit $650 for every $100 wagered. 

If American odds aren't your thing, simply use our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.

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NBA Coach of the Year trends

  • Mike Brown's 2023 victory was the first time in 10 years (excluding COVID-altered schedules  — 2019-20, 2020-21) that the Coach of the Year's team hadn't won 55+ games.

  • Four coaches (Mike Budenholzer, Gregg Popovich, Tom Thibodeau, Mike Brown) have won COY multiple times since 2009.

  • No rookie head coach has won Coach of the Year since Doc Rivers (2000).

  • Dating back to the award's inception in 1963, no coach has ever won COY in back-to-back seasons.

NBA Coach of the Year history

Year NBA Coach of the Year Winner Team
2023-24 Mark Daigneault Oklahoma City Thunder
2022-23 Mike Brown Sacramento Kings
2021-22 Monty Williams  Phoenix Suns
2020-21 Tom Thibodeau  New York Knicks
2019-20 Nick Nurse  Toronto Raptors
2018-19 Mike Budenholzer Milwaukee Bucks
2017-18 Dwane Casey Toronto Raptors
2016-17 Mike D'Antoni  Houston Rockets
2015-16 Steve Kerr  Golden State Warriors
2014-15 Mike Budenholzer  Atlanta Hawks
2013-14 Gregg Popovich  San Antonio Spurs
2012-13 George Karl  Denver Nuggets
2011-12 Gregg Popovich  San Antonio Spurs
2010-11 Tom Thibodeau  Chicago Bulls
2009-10 Scott Brooks  Oklahoma City Thunder
2008-09 Mike Brown  Cleveland Cavaliers
2007-08 Byron Scott  New Orleans Hornets
2006-07 Sam Mitchell  Toronto Raptors
2005-06 Avery Johnson  Dallas Mavericks
2004-05 Mike D'Antoni  Phoenix Suns

NBA Coach of the Year Odds FAQ

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Ryan Murphy Managing Editor at Covers
Managing Editor

Ryan Murphy began his love affair with sports journalism at the age of nine when he wrote his first article about his little league baseball team. He has since authored his own weekly column for Fox Sports and AskMen and has created successful campaigns for some of the biggest and most trusted brands in the world including Walt Disney, HBO, the WWE, the NHL, and the NFL.

“Murph,” as he’s known to friends, began his journey in sports betting in 2017, and enjoyed a highly rewarding tenure at Churchill Downs, where he oversaw the creation of the TwinSpires Edge and served as the publication’s first editor-in-chief. His nose for news and ability to find and nurture talent helped turn the site into a major player within the online gambling industry.

Although Ryan loves examining odds movement and breaking down matchups, he’s also a prolific creative writer whose critically acclaimed stories have been published in 21 books and have been featured on more than 170 radio stations and 40 newspapers. His latest book, My Life’s a Joke, is a laugh-out-loud memoir about the epic fails that thickened his skin and paved the way for a successful 15-year career as a touring stand-up comedian.

Ryan’s top piece of advice to sports bettors: “Bet with your head, not your heart. It pains me to be pragmatic, but blind loyalty has no place in sports wagering.”

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