The NBA coaches have spoken and they have selected Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault as Coach of the Year. NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news.
The 39-year-old Daigneault is one of the youngest coaches in the NBA, just behind Will Hardy and Joe Mazzulla. Appropriately, The Thunder is also the youngest team in the NBA with an average age of 24.
It has been a long climb to the top for Daigneault and the Thunder. When he took over for Billy Donovan, the team spent two seasons in the Western Conference’s cellar. They won 22 games in the 2021-21 season and were somehow worse the following year (20 wins).
However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s ascent and the arrival of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren in 2022 changed the franchise’s course. While Holmgren missed the entire 2022-23 season, Williams proved to be a versatile and capable second option behind Gilgeous-Alexander.
After a full season of growing together and Holmgren becoming healthy, the Thunder’s 2023-24 season was a resounding success. They were at or near the top of the Western Conference all season. In addition, the Gonzaga product played all 82 games and became one of the league’s top rim protectors.
Competitive Streak
To be successful at this level of coaching, someone has to be quirky and competitive. Daigneault has those in spades. Williams, who the Thunder drafted 12th overall in 2022, recalled playing one-on-one and talking trash with Daigneault during the pre-draft process. To Williams’ surprise, the Florida alum walked into the meeting and introduced himself as the head coach!
The Thunder needed that edge coming into the 2024 NBA playoffs. Many experts believe they’re too young to be contenders and that any veteran team could upset them in the first round. Nevertheless, the experience they’ll get in these games is crucial for the team’s maturity and development.
