2026 Hall of Fame inductee Mike D’Antoni won the NBA Coach of the Year Award in 2005.
D’Antoni received the award after leading the Phoenix Suns to a 62–20 record during the 2004–05 season. Phoenix played an up-tempo style built around Steve Nash’s decision-making, quick ball movement and three-point shooting.
The Suns reached the Western Conference finals that season, their deepest playoff run since 1993. Nash, who had returned to Phoenix before the season, also won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.
D’Antoni later coached the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and other teams. His offensive philosophy, often associated with the phrase “Seven Seconds or Less,” influenced the modern NBA’s emphasis on pace, spacing and perimeter scoring.