Suns Monty Williams named NBA Coach of the Year: Complete list of head coaches to win the award

Kyle Irving

Suns Monty Williams named NBA Coach of the Year: Complete list of head coaches to win the award image

On Monday, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker was first to break the news that his head coach Monty Williams would be named the 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year.

Just moments after the All-Star guard's tweet, The Athletic's Shams Charania confirmed Williams will take home the award.

The news doesn't come as much of a surprise after Williams led the Suns to the best record in the NBA at 64-18. Just one year after taking the Suns to the NBA Finals, Williams had Phoenix clicking on all cylinders as it cruised to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The Suns had the league's fifth-best offensive rating (114.2) and third-best defensive rating (106.8), leading to the best net rating (7.5) in the NBA this season.

The Suns went 32-9 at home and on the road – each of which was the best mark in the league. Their 32-9 road record was tied for the fifth-best in NBA history.

Phoenix established its dominance early when it went on an 18-game win streak after the first four games of the season. The Suns never looked back from that point, only losing back-to-back games twice for the remainder of the season.

With Williams at the helm, the Suns have quickly turned from a franchise that missed the playoffs for a decade straight to a perennial title contender for the foreseeable future. In beating out the Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra and Memphis Grizzlies' Taylor Jenkins, Williams was rightfully crowned as the 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year.

Below you can find every Coach of the Year winner in NBA history.

NBA Coach of the Year winners
Year Coach Team Record
2022 Monty Williams Phoenix Suns 64-18
2021 Tom Thibodeau New York Knicks 41-31
2020 Nick Nurse Toronto Raptors 53-19
2019 Mike Budenholzer Milwaukee Bucks 60-22
2018 Dwane Casey Toronto Raptors 59-23
2017 Mike D'Antoni Houston Rockets 55-27
2016 Steve Kerr Golden State Warriors 73-9
2015 Mike Budenholzer Atlanta Hawks 60-22
2014 Gregg Popovich San Antonio Spurs 62-20
2013 George Karl Denver Nuggets 57-25
2012 Gregg Popovich San Antonio Spurs 50-16
2011 Tom Thibodeau Chicago Bulls 62-20
2010 Scott Brooks Oklahoma City Thunder 50-32
2009 Mike Brown Cleveland Cavaliers 66-16
2008 Byron Scott New Orleans Hornets 56-26
2007 Sam Mitchell Toronto Raptors 47-35
2006 Avery Johnson Dallas Mavericks 60-22
2005 Mike D'Antoni Phoenix Suns 62-20
2004 Hubie Brown Memphis Grizzlies 50-32
2003 Gregg Popovich San Antonio Spurs 60-22
2002 Rick Carlisle Detroit Pistons 50-32
2001 Larry Brown Philadelphia 76ers 56-26
2000 Doc Rivers Orlando Magic 41-41
1999 Mike Dunleavy Portland Trail Blazers 35-15
1998 Larry Bird Indiana Pacers 58-24
1997 Pat Riley Miami Heat 61-21
1996 Phil Jackson Chicago Bulls 72-10
1995 Del Harris Los Angeles Lakers 42-40
1994 Lenny Wilkens Atlanta Hawks 57-25
1993 Pat Riley New York Knicks 60-22
1992 Don Nelson Golden State Warriors 55-27
1991 Don Chaney Houston Rockets 52-30
1990 Pat Riley Los Angeles Lakers 63-19
1989 Cotton Fitzsimmons Phoenix Suns 55-27
1988 Doug Moe Denver Nuggets 54-28
1987 Mike Schuler Portland Trail Blazers 49-23
1986 Mike Fratello Atlanta Hawks 50-32
1985 Don Nelson Milwaukee Bucks 59-23
1984 Frank Layden Utah Jazz 45-37
1983 Don Nelson Milwaukee Bucks 51-31
1982 Eugene Shue Washington Bullets 43-39
1981 Jack McKinney Indiana Pacers 44-38
1980 Bill Fitch Boston Celtics 61-21
1979 Cotton Fitzsimmons Kansas City Kings 48-34
1978 Hubie Brown Atlanta Hawks 41-41
1977 Tom Nissalke Houston Rockets 49-33
1976 Bill Fitch Cleveland Cavaliers 49-33
1975 Phil Johnson Kansas City-Omaha Kings 44-38
1974 Ray Scott Detroit Pistons 52-30
1973 Thomas Heinsohn Boston Celtics 68-14
1972 Bill Sharman Los Angeles Lakers 69-13
1971 Dick Motta Chicago Bulls 51-31
1970 Red Holzman New York Knicks 60-22
1969 Eugene Shue Baltimore Bullets 57-25
1968 Richard Guerin St. Louis Hawks 56-26
1967 John Kerr Chicago Bulls 33-48
1966 Adolph Schayes Philadelphia 76ers 55-25
1965 Red Auerbach Boston Celtics 62-18
1964 Alexander Hannum San Francisco Warriors 48-32
1963 Harry Gallatin St. Louis Hawks 48-32

Kyle Irving

Kyle Irving Photo

You read that wrong – not Kyrie Irving. From Boston, graduated from the University of New Hampshire. Sixth season as a content producer for NBA.com's Global editions. Covering the NBA Draft has become his annual "dream come true" moment on the job. Irving has a soft spot for pass-first point guards, with Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash being two of his favorite players of all time.