Mike Budenholzer Checks All of the Boxes For Coach of the Year

It was revealed on Saturday morning that Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer was the National Basketball Coach’s Association’s choice for Coach of the Year.

It isn’t the “official” Coach of the Year award announced following the NBA playoffs, but it means something that Budenholzer was considered the top choice by his peers around the league. He was the right choice, too, and should be the league’s choice for the same award when they are announced in June.

Budenholzer checks all the boxes that you look for when it comes to Coach of the Year. His team made a huge jump in every possible respect from last season; their win total went from 44 to 60, they have the no. 1 ranked defense after finishing 15th last season, and their offense is statistically the best in the league, an improvement from their middle-of-the-road status last season. The Bucks have performed better in nearly every conceivable way, and Budenholzer’s schemes and coaching are behind it.

Some would argue that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s meteoric rise to MVP candidate was inevitable, but without Budenholzer, it may have been a few more years before he reached these heights. Budenholzer designed his offense around Giannis and gives him the room he needs to operate in the paint, where he dominates every player in the league. Last year, Giannis was very good despite his coach; this year, he’s become great because of his coach.

Truly great coaches elevate not just their star player, but the team around him. Budenhozler has used Giannis as his linchpin, but has also coaxed career years out of Brook Lopez, Eric Bledsoe, and Khris Middleton. It resulted in the best record in the league, legitimate championship aspirations, and the most hope Milwaukee has seen in a long time. Budenholzer is well-deserving of the hardware he should be receiving. Now it’s time to see what he can do when the games matter most.