Former Richmond Spiders player named NBA Coach of the Year
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A former Richmond Spider was named NBA Coach of the Year.
On Monday, May 5, the NBA announced that former Richmond Spiders point guard Ken Atkinson is the NBA Coach of the Year for the 2024-25 season, according to a press release from the university.
Atkinson, who serves as the head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers, is the third Cavaliers head coach to ever win this award from the NBA. During his first year at Cleveland, the team landed the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record.
He was a four-year starter during his time with the Richmond Spiders, where he executed the 5th-highest amount of assists: 464. Atkinson was with the Spiders in 1988 when they reached the Sweet 16, becoming the first Richmond team to do so.
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Atkinson's prior coaching history includes four years as head coach with the Brooklyn Nets, as well as three seasons with the Golden State Warriors as their assistant coach. He also served as the assistant coach for the French Olympic Team during the 2024 Olympics.
