Comprehensive recognition! The best head coach is released! He beats the Rockets and Pistons to be selected!

This is the first time Atkinson has won this coaching honor in his coaching career, and it is also the greatest recognition of his contributions since he came to Cleveland this season.

Previously, Atkinson served as head coach for the Brooklyn Nets and once led the Nets, which did not have a star lineup, into the playoffs. Unfortunately, with the arrival of big-name stars and the changes in the team's direction, his blue-collar playing style was gradually abandoned and he was eventually forced to leave.

He then also served as an assistant coach for the Warriors. Although he was extremely strong in tactical literacy and ability to train players, he never got the opportunity to coach the team with full authority. Until the Knight handed the coach to him in the summer of 2024, everything began to change.

In the past 2024-25 season, Atkinson responded to all doubts with practical actions. Lead the Cavaliers to a record of 64 wins and 18 losses, and firmly ranked first in the Eastern Conference. Last season, the team had only 48 wins, ranking fourth in the Eastern Conference. In just one year, he allowed the team to win 16 more games.

Compared with many coaches who rely solely on superstars to support the scene, Atkinson's characteristic is that he relies on a complete system and the tacit understanding between the players, and around this foundation, he has built the Cavaliers into an offensive and strong team with both offense and defense. His advantage lies in discovering the potential of players, assigning roles, and focusing on collaborative combat between teams, which is exactly the easiest part that many head coaches ignore.

And Atkinson's value is not limited to the media and fans, but also the peers within the league have been fully recognized.

Previously, Atkinson was elected the best head coach of the NBCA Coach Association. The rule for this award is that each 30 head coaches in the league will vote, and Atkinson also won the award. It's enough to prove his outstanding performance with the Cavaliers this season.

According to the voting results revealed by reporters, Atkinson won a total of 59 first votes in the vote for the Best Head Coach, with a total score of up to 401 points. Behind him are two coaches who also have outstanding coaching performance this season: Pistons' Bixtaff scored 305 points, and Rockets' Uduka scored 113 points.

Compared with Atkinson's number one Cavaliers in the East, Bickstaff brought the young Pistons into the top six in the East, and Uduka led the Rockets to the excellent result of second in the West. But in the end, Atkinson stood out.

As of now, the Cavaliers swept the Heat 4-0 in the first round of the playoffs to advance to the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Although they are currently behind the Pacers 0-1 in the second round, the entire series has just begun and the Cavaliers still have a considerable room for advantage.

For Atkinson, this award is just a regular season affirmation, his real goal is in the playoffs, or even the championship.