The Sacramento Kings’ head coach Mike Brown was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year for the 2022-23 season. Brown received first-place votes from all 100 members of the voting panel, becoming the first unanimous winner since the league started giving the award in 1963.
Brown also becomes the first recipient of the newly-designed Red Auerbach Trophy, which was named after legendary Boston Celtics’ head coach Red Auerbach.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Mark Daigneault and the Boston Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla finished second and third in the voting, respectively. Daigneault, who led the rebuilding Thunder to a 40-42 record in the regular season, received 48 second-place votes and a total of 164 points. Mazzulla got 18 second-place votes and had 77 total points after finishing at No.2 in the East with the Celtics.
Mike Brown did an amazing job this season, leading the Kings to a 48-34 record and the third seed in the West Conference. As a result, Sacramento made its first playoff appearance in almost 17 years.
“These honors don’t come around often, so you’re very appreciative of them,” Brown said.
The Kings also seem positioned to make some real noise in the postseason under Brown. They currently hold a 2-0 lead in the first-round series against reigning champions Golden State Warriors.
