Monte McNair has been named the 2022-23 NBA Executive of the Year, after leading the Sacramento Kings to their first playoff appearance in 16 years with a record of 48-34. McNair, who joined the Kings in 2020 after spending 13 years in the Houston Rockets’ front office, hired Mike Brown as head coach and orchestrated the acquisitions of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk, as well as selecting Keegan Murray in the 2022 draft. Brown would later be named the first unanimous NBA Coach of the Year.
This is the third time the Kings have had the NBA’s top executive, with then-president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie receiving the honor in 1999 and 2001. Despite winning the Pacific Division, the Kings lost in seven games to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. McNair finished with 98 points in the Executive of the Year voting, ahead of Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman in second with 63 points and Utah Jazz GM Justin Zanik and Denver Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth in a tie for third with 20.
Under McNair’s leadership, the Kings have made significant strides towards becoming a competitive team in the NBA. With a focus on developing young talent, building a deep roster, and making shrewd acquisitions, McNair has helped lift the Kings out of their postseason drought and establish them as a team to watch in the years to come. As he continues to build on his successes, McNair will be a key figure in shaping the future of the Kings and the NBA as a whole.
