Eastern Conference coaches dominate the favorites to win the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year. Steve Nash heads the pack with Erik Spoelstra and Billy Donovan close behind. The AllStar takes a look at the latest betting odds before the season begins.
Odds to Win 2021/22 NBA Coach of the Year
| Coach | Odds |
|---|---|
| Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns) | -1000 |
| Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat) | +600 |
| J.B. Bickerstaff (Cleveland Cavaliers) | +800 |
| Taylor Jenkins (Memphis Grizzlies) | +800 |
| Ime Udoka (Boston Celtics) | +2000 |
| Billy Donovan (Chicago Bulls) | +2500 |
| Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) | +2500 |
| Doc Rivers (Philadelphia 76ers) | +5000 |
| Michael Malone (Denver Nuggets) | +6000 |
| Chris Finch (Minnesota Timberwolves) | +6600 |
| Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz) | +8000 |
| James Borrego (Charlotte Hornets) | +10000 |
| Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks) | +10000 |
| Nick Nurse (Toronto Raptors) | +10000 |
| Steve Nash (Brooklyn Nets) | +10000 |
| Tyronn Lue (Los Angeles Clippers) | +10000 |
| Mike Budenholzer (Milwaukee Bucks) | +20000 |
| Nate McMillan (Atlanta Hawks) | +20000 |
| Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) | +80000 |
| Tom Thibodeau (New York Knicks) | +80000 |
| Wes Unseld Jr (Washington Wizards) | +80000 |
| Willie Green (New Orleans Pelicans) | +80000 |
Who will win NBA Coach of the Year?
The Coach of the Year award is determined by a panel of sportswriters from the United States and Canada. The sportswriters cast first, second and third place selections at the end of the regular season. Each first-place vote is worth five points; each second-place vote is worth three points; and each third-place vote is worth one point. The coach with the highest point total wins NBA Coach of the Year.
Coach of the Year Betting Favorites
Steve Nash
Nash begins his second season as a professional coach with high expectations for his star-studded roster. The Nets finished second in the East and were inches from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. He’ll have more man-management to do this season but it will be worth the effort if they make a finals run.
Erik Spoelstra
The Coach of the Year award has eluded Spoelstra throughout his career. With the Heat adding championship experience through the acquisitions of Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker, the spotlight will be on Spoelstra to guide them to playoff glory, and perhaps more.
Billy Donovan
The Bulls had a busy but successful offseason. New acquisitions like Demar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball will elevate their standing in the East. It will be down to Donovan to work his magic and turn the Bulls into contenders.
New Faces
The coaching carousel saw seven coaches take the reins of a new team for the 2021/22 season. Jason Kidd is the opening favorite in this group to add an NBA Coach of the Year honor to his impressive list of accolades. Kidd’s announcement as the new Mavericks coach resurfaced stories of him ‘cancelling Christmas‘ while coaching the Bucks.
Coach of the Year Betting Trends
Go for Star Power
It definitely pays to have the services of a top-tier player. Over the past twenty years, 18 Coach of the Year winners had an All-Star on their team. Ten of those winners also had an All-NBA First Team player on their roster.
Pick a Playoff Coach
Every coach of the year winner has guided their team to the playoffs, with one exception: Doc Rivers in 2000. Rivers was a rookie coach with the Orlando Magic that year and came within one win of taking a terrible Magic roster to the playoffs.
Championships Don’t Guarantee Awards
Only five NBA championship-winning coaches have managed to win the coach of the year nod in the same season. Gregg Popovich remains the only coach to win Coach of the Year and an NBA championship in the same season twice.
Offense Over Defense
They say defense wins championships but does it win you Coach of the Year? Eight of the last ten winners led teams ranked in the league’s top six offensive teams. Three in that group had defenses ranked outside the top ten.
Back the Hawks and Bulls
The Atlanta Hawks boast the most Coaches of the Year with six awards. Their most recent recipient was Mike Budenholzer in 2015. The Bulls are second with four awards, the last in 2011 when Tom Thibodeau was at the helm.
Where to bet on NBA Coach of the Year
All good sportsbooks will offer Coach of the Year futures. Here are some of our favorites:
NBA Coach of the Year Winners
Award winners from the past 10 seasons and their win-loss records:
2020-21: Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks, 41-31
2019-20: Nick Nurse, Toronto Raptors, 46-18
2018-19: Mike Budenholzer, Milwaukee Bucks, 60-22
2017-18: Dwane Casey, Toronto Raptors, 59-23
2016-17: Mike D’Antoni, Houston Rockets, 55-27
2015-16: Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors, 73-9
2014-15: Mike Budenholzer, Atlanta Hawks, 60-22
2013-14: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs, 62-20
2012-13: George Karl, Denver Nuggets, 57-25
2011-12: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs, 50-16
How to bet on NBA Coach of the Year
The Coach of the Year winner is a popular futures betting option offered by sportsbooks. Futures are typically bets on season-long outcomes such as the eventual NBA champion, MVP winner or Rookie of the Year.
Odds for futures bets are set during preseason, but can fluctuate throughout the season based on team performances, results, injuries and transactions.
Coach of the Year Odds Explained
Basketball sportsbooks usually display futures odds in the American format:
Steve Nash +833
Erik Spoelstra +931
Billy Donovan +980
This indicates that Steve Nash is the favorite because he has the lowest number beside his name. In this situation, he is viewed as the slight favorite over Spoelstra and Donovan.
How do those numbers translate into payouts? Consider Billy Donovan as an example. If you bet $100 successfully on Donovan to win Coach of the Year, you’d get $1080 – your original stake is returned plus your winnings of $980.
