Budenholzer repeats honor
The Bucks’ Mike Budenholzer and the Thunder’s Billy Donovan named coaches of the year by their peers.
Last season, Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer was recognized by his peers as the coach of the year for leading the Bucks to 60 wins in his first season in Milwaukee. This year, he'll get to keep the award, but he'll also have to share it.
The National Basketball Coaches Association announced its Michael
H. Goldberg Coach of the
Year winners on Monday with Budenholzer and Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan sharing the honors. The award, which is voted on by the league's 30 head coaches, nearly finished in a three-way tie as Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse finished one vote shy of matching Budenholzer and Donovan.
This award is not the NBA's official coach of the year honor, which was voted on by the media last week and will be announced at a later date, but it is a significant honor nonetheless. Budenholzer is first two-time recipient of the award after leading the Bucks to a 53-12 record before the league's hiatus, the best record in the NBA.
“First, congrats to Billy Donovan for the outstanding job he and his staff have done with the Oklahoma City Thunder,” Budenholzer said in a statement. “Another great year of coaching by Billy and, again, another great year of work by all the head coaches in the NBA. Thank you all for your vote and support. Thank you to our dedicated players and staff in Milwaukee. The players are special, the staff is special and I'm beyond fortunate to coach this great team and for this great organization.
“Celebrating the memory of Michael
H. Goldberg and continuing to bring honor to his great legacy of work on behalf of all NBA Coaches gives the Award additional significant meaning. Those of us lucky enough to know and work with Michael know how much he did for the sport and for coaches. As Michael was a terrific advocate for all of us, may we use our platform to raise awareness and speak out on the need for social justice, equality and inclusiveness in our society.”
Budenholzer owns a 114-35 (.765) record in his two seasons with Milwaukee. The Bucks have had the NBA's topranked defense in each of his seasons while ranking among the most efficient and high-powered offenses in the league.