Cavs Insider

Cavaliers Coach Named Head Coach For 2025 NBA All-Star Game

Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson and one of his assistants will be head coaches at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game next month.
Logan Potosky|
Jan 18, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson looks on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Jan 18, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson looks on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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Cleveland Cavaliers

Entering play on Friday, the Cleveland Cavaliers own the NBA's best record at 36-7, which includes a six-game lead over the Boston Celtics for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

With these marks, the Wine and Gold have already clinched the best record in the East through the games of Feb. 2, and another two spots in the NBA All-Star Game.

On Friday, the NBA announced that Cavaliers Head Coach Kenny Atkinson has earned a head coach position in the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 16.

In his first season with Cleveland, the 57-year-old is the fourth head coach in franchise history to be selected to coach in the contest, joining: Tyronn Lue (2016), Mike Brown (2009), and Lenny Wilkens (1989).

With the NBA All-Star Game's first-ever four team tournament set to take place this year, both Atkinson and one of his assistants will serve as a head coach for an All-Star team. Atkinson will coach a team of NBA All-Stars, while a Cavaliers assistant coach will coach either another team of NBA All-Stars or the Castrol Rising Stars championship team.

A basketball coach smiling while wearing a black quarter zip jacket.
Jan 18, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson looks on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Atkinson's Cavaliers have been one of the NBA's premier teams on both ends of the floor so far this season.

Offensively, the Wine and Gold lead the NBA in offensive rating (120.9) and three-point percentage (39.4%), while ranking second in: points per game (121.7), field goal percentage (49.6%), and three-pointers made per game (16.1).

And on defense, Cleveland ranks top-10 in the league in: defensive rating (111.1, ninth), opponent turnovers per game (15.1, ninth), opponent three-pointers made per game (13.3, ninth), opponent field goal percentage (45.9%, 10th), and opponent assists per game (25.8, 10th).

Atkinson's tenure with the Cavaliers got off to a historic start, as the team began the season 15-0. This led to Cleveland's head coach becoming the first NBA head coach to win each of his first 15 games with a team, and just the second NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL head coach or manager to do so.

While the NBA All-Star reserves will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 30, the Wine and Gold have three of the tournament's spots secured in: Atkinson, one of his assistants, and All-Star starter Donovan Mitchell.

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Logan Potosky
LOGAN POTOSKY

Logan Potosky is an aspiring play-by-play sports broadcaster who, to date, has called approximately 350+ hours of professional, college, and high school sporting events. He is currently the Play-by-Play Broadcaster for the Lake County Captains, the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. He graduated from John Carroll University in May of 2023 with a degree in Communication, with a concentration in Digital Media, and a minor in Entrepreneurship.

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