NBA Coach of the Year Odds (2025-26)

The following post features NBA Coach of the Year Odds (2025-26).

As the 2025-26 NBA season nears, oddsmakers have released their Coach of the Year odds, giving bettors a clearer look at which sideline leaders offer strong value in the awards market.

Read: NBA Most Improved Player Odds

Related: NBA Rookie of the Year Odds 

The NBA Coach of the Year race offers unique betting value, providing opportunities to bet on coaches who will guide teams to unexpected success.

So, how is the NBA Coach of the Year race shaping up for 2025-26? Here’s what you need to know.

Overview

Last season, Kenny Atkinson earned Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Cleveland Cavaliers to a dominant breakout campaign. In his first season leading the team, Atkinson engineered a massive 16-win improvement over the previous year, finishing with an impressive 64-18 record and securing the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers set a new franchise benchmark for wins without LeBron James on the roster, cementing Atkinson’s victory over J.B. Bickerstaff (2nd place), Ime Udoka (3rd place), and Mark Daigneault (4th place).

Coach of the Year Award

The NBA Coach of the Year award, known as the Red Auerbach Trophy, is presented annually to the head coach who is deemed most integral to their team’s success during the regular season. The winner is selected by a global media panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters who vote based on criteria that heavily favors coaches whose teams exceed preseason expectations or drive dramatic year-over-year improvement.

Coach of the Year Award Odds (2025-26)

Below is a table displaying the odds for the NBA Coach of the Year. All odds were sourced on Oct 3, 2025. Click here for the very latest odds (via OddsChecker).

Head Coach Spotlights

Jamahl Mosley (Orlando Magic, +600)

Mosley enters the season as a strong favorite due to a clear path toward significant year-over-year improvement. The Magic finished 41-41 last season but made major offseason upgrades, adding much-needed shooting and veteran point guard stability (e.g., Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones). The betting case for Mosley is simple: if this young core of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner translates their elite defense into a top-four seed and a 10-15 win jump—a typical benchmark for COY winners—he will have the strongest narrative. The only risk at +600 is that expectations are already high, meaning the Magic must meet them to deliver value.

Quin Snyder (Atlanta Hawks, +800)

Snyder is a perennial contender for the award, known for extracting maximum performance from his rosters and achieving top-ten COY finishes in four of his last five coaching seasons before Atlanta. The Hawks are in a similar spot to the Magic, needing a major turnaround after finishing around 40 wins last season. The value at +800 hinges on whether Snyder’s systems, which have already helped elevate players like Dyson Daniels, can stabilize the roster and guide Atlanta to the upper tier of the Eastern Conference. If the Hawks can secure a top-five seed and avoid major mid-season drama, Snyder’s proven track record makes this a strong mid-tier value bet.

Ime Udoka (Houston Rockets, +1300)

Udoka finished third in voting last season and is positioned perfectly for a breakthrough win. The Rockets have moved beyond the rebuilding phase, acquiring a superstar (e.g., Kevin Durant) to complement their talented young core (e.g., Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun). Udoka’s tough, no-excuses mentality has fundamentally transformed Houston into a defensive powerhouse. The betting angle at +1300 is simple: if Udoka can successfully integrate Durant while maintaining their elite defense and turning the team into a 60-win Western Conference powerhouse, he is an excellent value pick who voters will reward for maximizing a revamped, high-stakes roster.

JB Bickerstaff (Detroit Pistons, +1400)

Bickerstaff is a true “exceeding expectations” bet, having already overseen one of the biggest turnarounds in recent NBA history by guiding the Pistons to a 44-win season. He finished second in COY voting last year, indicating voters are already aware of his impact. The strong historical trend for Bickerstaff is that his teams typically see a massive spike in win total in his second full season. At +1400, this bet is on the Pistons solidifying themselves as a legitimate playoff threat, potentially climbing from the play-in tournament to a guaranteed top-six seed. If Detroit takes the next big step in their rebuild, Bickerstaff is a high-reward choice.

Mitchell Johnson (San Antonio Spurs, +1600)

Mitchell “Mitch” Johnson begins his first full season as the official head coach, taking over the reins from Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich. This is a classic “new coach, new era” narrative, amplified by the league’s fascination with a fresh chapter for the Spurs. Johnson earned this opportunity by impressing as the acting head coach for much of the previous season. The value at +1600 is based entirely on the team’s ability to use their foundational talent (e.g., Victor Wembanyama) to make a surprising leap toward the Western Conference play-in or a lower playoff seed. If Johnson can lead the team to a major win increase, he’ll be instantly rewarded by voters who love a strong comeback story.

Coach of the Year Award Winners (2015-Present)

The table below highlights every NBA Coach of the Year Award winner since 2015.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Jamahl Mosley and Quin Snyder lead the race in the NBA Coach of the Year odds, seasoned names like Ime Udoka and JB Bickerstaff offer strong value—especially if their teams exceed expectations and drive a dramatic win increase.