NBA Coach of the Year (COY) rankings 2024-25: Three-way battle at the top as J.B. Bickerstaff continues climb in race

The NBA regular season concludes next month, and while the playoff race intensifies by the day, the end-of-season awards—including Coach of the Year—remain up for grabs as teams battle for postseason positioning.

Here’s a look at our top five Coach of the Year candidates after Week 22.

Top five NBA Coach of the Year candidates after Week 22

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#5. Mark Daigneault (Last week’s ranking: #4)

The OKC Thunder have already secured their playoff spot and became the first team to hit 60 wins, but Mark Daigneault slides down one spot, largely because the award has never had a repeat winner.

Had he not won it last year, Daigneault would likely be among the frontrunners again, as he has propelled the Thunder to another level, locking up the top seed in the Western Conference with 10 games still remaining.

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#4. Tyronn Lue (Last week’s ranking: Unranked)

For the first time since Week 5, Tyronn Lue re-enters the rankings, landing at No. 4. The LA Clippers have firmly established themselves as a playoff team, and with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden playing at their peak levels, Lue has maximized this roster’s potential.

While they are still fighting for seeding, their recent performances suggest they are well on track for a guaranteed playoff berth.

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#3. Kenny Atkinson (Last week’s ranking: #3)

Kenny Atkinson holds steady at No. 3, but after leading the race for most of the season, his Cleveland Cavaliers took a hit by losing four straight for the first time this year.

They still boast the best record in the East and the second-best overall, but that losing streak came at the worst possible time, with recency bias possibly influencing voters. While Atkinson dominated the conversation for much of the season, this has now turned into a three-man race.

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#2. Ime Udoka (Last week’s ranking: #1)

After claiming the top spot last week, Ime Udoka slips to No. 2 despite the Houston Rockets winning nine of their last 10 games.

The Rockets have secured a playoff berth and are pushing to lock down the No. 2 seed, and Udoka’s coaching brilliance has been a driving force behind their late-season surge.

Houston has been on an impressive run, and how the Rockets finish in the tough West could ultimately define Udoka's case.

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#1. J.B. Bickerstaff (Last week’s ranking: # 2)

For the first time, J.B. Bickerstaff takes the No. 1 spot, with his Detroit Pistons poised for their first playoff appearance since 2019.

Currently sitting at 41-32, the Pistons hold the No. 5 seed in the East, guaranteeing an automatic playoff berth while still having a chance to climb into home-court advantage territory.

Awards are all about narratives, and Bickerstaff’s ability to transform a lottery team into a top-five seed in his first season could significantly bolster his case.