Thunder, Bucks coaches feted

ORLANDO (Florida) • Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer and Oklahoma City Thunder counterpart Billy Donovan were named as joint winners of the National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) Coach of the Year award on Monday.

They shared the award after voting which saw Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, who led the Canadian team to their first championship title last year, just miss out on a share of the honour.

Nurse, 53, polled just one vote fewer than Budenholzer, 50, and Donovan, 55.

The award is decided each year based on votes by the NBA's 30 head coaches, with each coach voting for a single individual. Voting this year was based on games played up to March 11, when the season went into shutdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dallas Mavericks head coach and NBCA president Rick Carlisle said Budenholzer had earned the award for a second straight season after helping league-leading Milwaukee (54-13) compile the best record in the NBA up until the suspension. Donovan was also recognised after leading his team to the NBA play-offs in each of his first five seasons.

Carlisle added: "To win the vote of our peers makes the Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year Award one of the most meaningful in all of pro sports."

Budenholzer said: "As Michael was a terrific advocate for all of us, may we use our platform to raise awareness and speak out on the need for social justice, equality and inclusiveness in our society."

Donovan joins NBA coaching giants Don Nelson, Pat Riley and Gregg Popovich as the only three-time winners of the honour.

Donovan said: "Individual honours to me have always been a reflection of good team dynamics, and I'm proud of the collective work that our players, coaching staff and the entire organisation has put in this season."

Several other coaches received votes including Taylor Jenkins (Grizzlies), Nate McMillan (Pacers), Erik Spoelstra (Heat), Brad Stevens (Celtics) and Frank Vogel (Lakers).

The league resumed last week, with the remainder of the season to be played at Disney World without fans.

  • 3 Times Billy Donovan has won the NBCA Coach of the Year award.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 05, 2020, with the headline Thunder, Bucks coaches feted. Subscribe