TORONTO (CP) _ Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell has gone from worst to first.
After being voted the worst coach in the NBA in an unofficial poll of players by Sports Illustrated last season, Mitchell was named the league's coach of the year Tuesday.
He earned the Red Auerbach Trophy in a decisive vote over Utah's Jerry Sloan.
Mitchell picked up 49 first-place votes for a total of 394 points in balloting by 128 basketball writers and broadcasters.
``It's a little bit embarrassing,'' Mitchell said at news conference before Toronto faced New Jersey in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarter-finals. ``It's very humbling considering the things we've been through. Not just me, my staff, the players who've been here, all the people who've been involved.
``It's a great honour, it kind of floors you. You're thankful, and words just can't express it.''
Sloan had 301 points followed by Dallas' Avery Johnson with 268. Johnson won the award last year.
Coming off a 27-win season, Mitchell led a revamped Raptors squad with nine new players to 47 wins, the Atlantic Division title and their first playoff appearance in five seasons.
``I feel kind of funny sitting up here by myself,'' said Mitchell. ``I feel it should be the whole organization sitting up here behind me, the players, front office people, equipment managers . . . I tell the players all the time, there's so much work going into us being successful. As a coach, you get a lot of the credit, but there are so many people that make my job easier, so I can do my job.''
Mitchell's contract is set to expire after this season and rumours have swirled that he could be headed to Charlotte. He didn't want to talk about his future Tuesday when asked if the award would help him get a new deal.
``No, because it's not about me,'' Mitchell said. ``It's about the players, the coaches, the organization, all the people who've talked to me.''
Mitchell, 43, played 13 seasons in the NBA. He doesn't believe in micromanaging his players. They have a loose framework in which to play, and the players are responsible for executing it.
``It's a great honour for him,'' said Raptors all-star Chris Bosh. ``We recognized him for it this morning but the thing I love about him is he said it was a team effort. He just so happened to get some individual recognition.''
Mitchell will be presented with the trophy before Tuesday night's game.
Bosh said the pre-game ceremony will be a big emotional boost.
``I think it's good for everyone, it shows this organization has come a long way and I'm sure the fans will really get in to it,'' he said. ``Once the tip off comes, we just have to do what we have to do and play the right basketball.''
