Magic's Jamahl Mosley Named NBA Coach of the Year Finalist

After coaching the Orlando Magic back into the playoffs, head coach Jamahl Mosley has been named a finalist for NBA Coach of the Year.

Apr 10, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley calls a play in the / Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The Orlando Magic are one of the NBA’s best stories this season. Just one year removed from drafting Paolo Banchero No. 1 overall, head coach Jamahl Mosley has led the team to the NBA Playoffs. 

Now Mosley is up for the NBA Coach of the Year award alongside Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. 

Orlando’s Magical turnaround in Mosley’s three seasons with the franchise is nothing short of spectacular. In Mosley’s first season with the Magic, the team had an abysmal 22-60 record. Now, just two short years later, the team, which features a young core, finished the regular season 47-35, securing the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. 

Banchero brought hardware to Orlando last season when he won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Trophy. Now, his head coach is getting recognition for his impact on the team. 

The favorite for this season's award will undoubtedly be Daigneault, the Thunder’s coach after his young squad shocked the world and took the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Still, Mosley has more than earned the respect of his team and players like Cole Anthony, who made a case for him last month to win the award.

"I know they don't look at the previous seasons, but you see the trajectory he’s going on," Anthony said. "We haven’t changed the roster much. He’s obviously gotten better as a coach, too. He's learning, we're learning, and we're just going to keep improving."

Next up for Mosley’s improvement will be a victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers hold a 1-0 lead over Orlando in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The teams face off at 7 p.m. ET.

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