Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey has been voted the Michael H. Goldberg Coach of the Year for the 2017-18 season by his fellow coaches, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced in a press release.
It is a separate honor from the Red Auerbach Trophy, the NBA's official Coach of the Year award, which is voted on by members of the media.
"To be honored by your peers is incredibly gratifying, and I am so thankful to my colleagues across the league for this recognition. I'm also grateful to the talented and dedicated coaching staff I work with every day in Toronto," said Casey in a release by the NBCA.
After being called upon by team president Masai Ujiri to make wide-scale changes to the team's approach, Casey guided the team to a franchise-best 59-23 record. The Raptors advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the third straight year, but once again fell to LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers in a 4-0 sweep.
It does not appear that Casey won in a landslide vote, however. Of the 30 ballots cast - one by the head coach of each team - Casey was one of eight coaches to receive a vote, along with the Philadelphia 76ers' Brett Brown, the Houston Rockets' Mike D'Antoni, the Indiana Pacers' Nate McMillan, the San Antonio Spurs' Gregg Popovich, the Los Angeles Clippers' Doc Rivers, the Utah Jazz's Quin Snyder, and the Portland Trail Blazers' Terry Stotts.
Notably, Boston Celtics bench boss Brad Stevens did not garner a single vote despite shepherding his team through significant injuries to the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
The NBCA Coach of the Year was first awarded last season, when Houston Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni and Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra split the honors.
