After leading the Phoenix Suns to a 51-21 record, Monty Williams was voted coach of the year by the National Basketball Coaches Association.
When Williams first came to the Suns, they were coming off a 19-63 season and were considered one of the worst teams in the NBA. In only his second year in Phoenix, Williams got the Suns to the postseason for the first time since 2009, with the team earning the second seed in the loaded Western Conference. The Suns were considered a sneaky playoff contender heading into the season, but almost nobody imagined they would be one of the best teams in the entire league.
“I hold the utmost respect and admiration for the coaches in this league, so to be recognized by my peers is an incredible honor,” Williams said in a statement. “Every coach in our league sacrifices a ton to make their teams and organizations better, so this is unbelievably humbling.”
Williams is considered a favorite to win the NBA’s official Coach of the Year award, along with Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz and Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks. Regardless of whether or not he wins that award, it is clear that Williams has earned the utmost respect of his peers.
