Steve Kerr from the Golden State Warriors and Monty Williams from the Phoenix Suns are the betting favorites to win NBA Coach of the Year, according to an update by DraftKings, which listed both Kerr and Williams at +380 odds.
Tom Thibodeau won the NBA Coach of the Year with the Knicks last season, but he’s only +5000 odds as a long shot after a tough start this season. The Knicks were the surprise team last season and secured the #4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, which made Thibodeau a lock for his second Coach of the Year award. However, this year’s Knicks struggled to stay above .500 with a 19-20 record.
| 2022 NBA Coach of the Year Odds |
- Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns) +380
- Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) +380
- Bill Donovan (Chicago Bulls) +400
- JB Bickerstaff (Cleveland Cavs) +450
- Taylor Jenkins (Memphis Grizzlies) +1200
- Steve Nash (Brooklyn Nets) +1300
- Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz) +1500
- Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat) +1600
- Doc Rivers (Philadelphia 76ers) +2000
- Mike Budenholzer (Milwaukee Bucks) +2800
- Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks) +3000
- James Borrego (Charlotte Hornets) +3000
- Wes Unseld Jr (Washington Wizards) +3500
- Ty Lue (LA Clippers) +3500
- Nate McMillan (Atlanta Hawks) +3500
- Chris Finch (Minnesota Timberwolves) +4500
- Tom Thibodeau (New York Knicks) +5000
The Phoenix Suns currently have the best record in the NBA and were the first team to reach 30 wins this season. They recently overtook the Golden State Warriors for the top seed in the Western Conference.
West: Williams, Kerr co-faves
Williams guided the Suns to a berth in the NBA Finals last season. He should have been the 2021 NBA Coach of the Year, but the voters favored Thibs for pulling the Knicks out of the gutter. Now, Williams and the Suns are proving that last season wasn’t a fluke. You can back Williams at +380 odds right now.
Everyone expected the Golden State Warriors to make a run after Klay Thompson returned to the lineup sometime midseason. No one expected that the Warriors would jump out to a sizzling start as the best team in the NBA. Up until this week, the Warriors (29-9) were the top team in the Western Conference. Kerr is seeking a second NBA Coach of the Year Award, which he won back in 2016, and he’s at the same odds as Williams at +380.
Taylor Jenkins, head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, should be getting much more love. The Grizzlies (26-14) are the fourth-best team in a top-heavy Western Conference. Jenkins offers up tremendous value at +1200 odds to win Coach of the Year, especially if the Grizzlies can continue their trajectory.
Quin Snyder and the Utah Jazz are also in the mix for the top seed in the West once again. If the Jazz played in San Francisco or Los Angeles, then they’d get a lot more love from the media. But since the Jazz are a small market club, they don’t get the same coverage as other teams. That’s why Snyder is +1500 odds to win Coach of the Year when he should be up there with Williams and Kerr.
East: Da Bulls, surprise Cavs
Billy Donovan guided the Chicago Bulls (25-10) to the top of the Eastern Conference, despite a nasty outbreak of COVID-19 that put 11 of his players on ice. The Bulls have two of the top scorers in the league with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, and Donovan has managed to keep both his high-volume scorers happy with a fun offense that spreads the ball around. Donovan is +400 odds to win Coach of the Year for the first time in his career.
The Cavs are the surprise team in the Eastern Conference this season. They’re only the sixth seed with a 21-17 record, but they were in the top three earlier this season before they fought off a COVID-19 outbreak. JB Bickerstaff has done a sensational job developing their young players including Rookie of the Year candidate Evan Mobley. Bickerstaff, who is the son of former NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff, is +450 odds to win the first Coach of the Year award for his family.