Alright, so let’s dive into this whirlwind of NBA accolades and coaching charisma, shall we? Picture this: Kenny Atkinson, the mastermind at the helm of the Cleveland Cavaliers, just snagged the 2024-25 Rudy Tomjanovich Award. Now, you’re probably wondering what that’s all about. It’s like a shiny badge for coaches who are not only wizards on the court but also pretty chill and chatty with the media and fans. Yeah, that’s right, this award’s no joke, and the Professional Basketball Writers Association spilled the beans just today.
Now, here’s the scoop on Atkinson’s season—whopping 64-18 record. Tops in the East, mind you. It’s like they were playing chess while others played checkers, and Atkinson was hosting the party, always with a smile and time for those pesky media folks. First time he’s landed this award, can you believe it?
PBWA head honcho Howard Beck, he had some stuff to say about Kenny. Describes him as candid, humble, and yes, even funny. Imagine that! This guy loves dissecting the game’s finer points and isn’t afraid to dive into the bigger league-wide dilemmas. Sometimes I wonder if these sessions with him are like therapy for the media. Who knew coaching had this level of social work embedded in it?
Oh, but it wasn’t a clear landslide! J.B. Bickerstaff from the Detroit Pistons and Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves were hot on his heels, tying for second. Also, shoutout to the other top contenders—Mark Daigneault of the Thunder and Billy Donovan of the Bulls. Healthy competition, people. Voting was a PBWA full membership affair, no rigged elections here.
Fun fact—this accolade carries the legendary Rudy Tomjanovich’s name, a guy who really set the benchmark high. Coached the Rockets and Lakers with grace, winning titles like it was his side job. Stats? Oh, just a casual 527-416 regular-season, plus another 51-39 in the playoffs. His Rockets owned the ’94 and ’95 seasons. Just saying.
And if you’re new here, PBWA doesn’t stop at just coaching honors. They’re doling out the Brian McIntyre Award to stellar PR teams and the Magic Johnson Award to superstar players mingling well with the press. Oh, and they’ve got this rule where you can’t throw repeat parties every year—everyone gets a shot. Adopted in 2020, mind you. Fair’s fair.
Alright, I think that’s the spiel for today. I mean, who knew writing about basketball awards could be this much fun? Now go catch some games, already!
