OKC’s Mark Daigneault bags 2023-2024 Kia NBA Coach of the Year

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has been named the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Coach of the Year, the league announced Sunday night.

Daigneault, 39, dominated the coach of the year race, including finalists Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic and Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Daigneault finished with a total of 473 points with 89 1st place votes (equivalent to five points), 9 2nd place votes (three points), and 1 3rd place votes (one point). Mosley came in distant second with 158 points while Finch came in at third with 105 total points.

Daigneault and the Thunder exceeded expectations this season after taking the team to the West’s no.1 seed despite being the second youngest team in the league. Nobody expected the Thunder to be this good early already, and with that Daigneault rightfully deserves to win the award.

The 39-year-old coach becomes the second Thunder coach to win the award, joining Scott Brooks who won in 2009-2010. Under Daigneault, the Thunder went 57-25 in the regular season and tied for the best record in the Western Conference, earning the No. 1 playoff seed. Oklahoma City became the youngest team (weighted by playing time) to finish with the best record (or tied for the best) in its conference since 1970-71, the first NBA season with Eastern and Western conferences.

The Thunder, who were the 10-seed last season, made a 17-win improvement (40-42) to secure a playoff berth for the first time in four years.