NBA Coach of the Year (COY) rankings 2024-25: Where do J.J. Redick and J.B. Bickerstaff rank as their teams heat up in Week 18?

Welcome back to our NBA Coach of the Year rankings! With the All-Star break behind us, basketball is back in full force, and once again, there’s been movement in our rankings.

Across the league, teams have put together impressive winning streaks, while others have stumbled unexpectedly. As a result, this week’s Coach of the Year rankings have seen some shake-ups.

Here are the top five candidates after Week 18.

Top five NBA Coach of the Year candidates after Week 18

---

#5. Mark Daigneault (Week 16 ranking: #2)

Fresh off his All-Star Game coaching stint, Mark Daigneault led the OKC Thunder to a solid 3-1 record. That’s a strong performance, but this award is often driven by narrative, and their lone loss — blowing a 25-point lead to the Minnesota Timberwolves before falling in overtime — left a sour impression.

The Thunder still hold the top spot in the Western Conference with a 47-11 record, nine games ahead of the second-place team. However, that tough loss caused Daigneault to drop in this week's rankings.

---

#4. J.J. Redick (Week 16 ranking: Unranked)

J.J. Redick has the Lakers at 35-21 through 56 games, currently riding a three-game winning streak. This marks a significant improvement from last season when they were just 30-26 at this stage.

Over their last three games, the Lakers have posted the league’s second-best defensive rating (101.0). While many expected their offense to see the biggest boost after acquiring Luka Doncic — especially since they traded away elite defender Anthony Davis — it’s their defense that has been surprisingly strong.

Credit goes to Redick for getting them locked in on that end.

---

#3. Michael Malone (Week 16 ranking: #3)

Michael Malone holds onto the No. 3 spot despite his Denver Nuggets having their nine-game winning streak snapped. They’ve already bounced back and are now tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for the second-best record in the Western Conference.

After a sluggish start to the season, Malone has steered Denver back into title contention, proving once again why he remains one of the league’s top coaches.

---

#2. J.B. Bickerstaff (Week 16 ranking: #5)

J.B. Bickerstaff climbs to his highest ranking yet as the Detroit Pistons continue their resurgence. The red-hot Pistons have won eight straight games, now sitting seven games above .500 and firmly in control of the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. They hold a 4.5-game lead over the seventh-place Orlando Magic.

During this streak, Detroit has posted the league’s second-best net rating (16.4) and the top defensive rating (105.9). And their wins aren’t flukes — they just took down the Boston Celtics in their most recent game.

The last time Detroit won at least eight in a row was back in 2008. They also now boast their best record since the 2018-19 season, which was the last time they made the playoffs.

---

#1. Kenny Atkinson (Week 16 ranking: #1)

Kenny Atkinson remains at the top, and for good reason. In addition to coaching in the All-Star Game, he continues to keep the Cleveland Cavaliers rolling.

The team’s trade deadline acquisition of De’Andre Hunter has provided a boost, and Atkinson has seamlessly integrated him into the lineup, strengthening their wing depth on both ends of the floor.

As of Week 18, Atkinson remains the coach to beat.