In his first year as Kings coach, Mike Brown is on track to take home the 2022-23 NBA Coach of the Year award while leading his team to a historically impressive season.
But to some, that simply isn’t good enough.
“I will not be pleased if Mike Brown just wins [Coach of the Year], it has to be unanimous,” Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes told his cohost and NBA correspondent Marc Stein on the latest episode of the “#Thisleague UNCUT” podcast.
While both Haynes and Stein agreed Brown is going to win the honor, Stein held back on the notion it will be unanimous.
But Haynes remained firm in his confident take.
“Unanimously. Who else is out there? Stop it,” Haynes exclaimed. “I don’t want any New York bias. [New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau] is having a fine season, fine. Nobody expected this [from the Kings].”
“Nobody makes a better case. Nobody. It’s not even close. It should be unanimous. This is the Sacramento Kings here. No. 2 in the Western Conference. It’s not even up for debate.”
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Stein, again, reminded Haynes that he wasn't arguing that Brown should win the award, but he just doesn't see more than 100 media members voting the exact same way.
The Coach of the Year is determined by a panel of 124 sportswriters from the U.S. and Canada who vote on a first-place, second-place and third-place candidate. A first-place vote accounts for five points, a second-place vote is worth three points and a third-place vote is one point. The coach with the most overall points is declared the winner no matter the number of first-place votes.
"Mike Brown is the Coach of the Year. Absolutely, positively, no argument," Stein said. "But unanimous, that’s a high bar cause what? There are 100-120 voters, you’re just expecting a lot."
"I expect 100-plus people to do their jobs and do their research," Haynes responded, firmly.
Other coaches worth mentioning are Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla and Knicks coach Thibodeau.
But the impact Brown has had since stepping foot in Sacramento was an instant feeling that has now turned into results. No. 2 seed. First winning season since 2006. All-Stars.
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And all that still doesn't satisfy Brown, which is why he's in the position he's in. He's a championship-caliber coach, he wants more for his team and expects nothing less.
While the Coach of the Year award seems like a given for Brown, his attention likely will be elsewhere with just a dozen games remaining in the regular season.