Mark Daigneault The rise to the top was an inspiring story to say the least. He came to Oklahoma City at the beginning of the team’s rebuild and was a largely unknown addition. There wasn’t much background information on Daigneault other than the fact that he started in the Thunder’s organization and rose through the ranks as the team’s head coach in the G League.
Today, he is considered one of the best coaches in the game and received universal praise from the NBA community last season as the Thunder rose to the top. His system was top-notch and his defenses were fierce. Daigneault has figured out how to unleash the potential of this Thunder team.
Recently, The Athletic released a list of the league’s top 40 contributors under the age of 40. It’s no surprise that Daigneault landed on the list. He’ll continue to rise with the Thunder in the coming years.
“Daigneault has established himself as one of the league’s best head coaches despite compiling a sub-.500 record in his four seasons on the sidelines in Oklahoma City,” noted The Athletic. “He won NBA Coach of the Year honors last season after finishing second the year before. He has introduced a unique style of play to the Thunder, and those who know him praise his ability to connect with others and his EQ. LeBron James and JJ Redick are among his fans.”
Overall, Daigneault has a career record of 143-175, but the stats don’t tell the whole story. His first two seasons were transformative, as Oklahoma City developed for the future and aimed for the lottery pick. In the 2022-23 season, he helped the Thunder exceed expectations by over 15 games and surprisingly led them to the play-in tournament. Then, last season, he put it all together. The Thunder went 57-25 and grabbed the top seed in the Western Conference before sweeping a first-round playoff series.
In return, Daigneault won the NBA Coach of the Year award last season with 89 out of 100 votes. He is also one of the favorites for the second title next season.
It’s no surprise that Daigneault was named to the Top 40 Under 40 list as he has developed into one of the brightest young minds in basketball. With him at the helm, Oklahoma City’s opportunities are limitless.
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