Between the Knicks’ new coach, Mike Brown, their new bench additions, Jordan Clarkson, and Guerschon Yabusele, and the intriguing play of some of the youngsters at Summer League, fans have had a lot to talk about. Due to that, many missed the NBCA’s announcement that Maurice Cheeks had been awarded the 2025 Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award.
“Mo Cheeks has done it again!” Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers head coach and NBCA president, said in a statement, “A man of quiet dignity but high impact, Mo has backed up a Hall of Fame playing career with yet another great honor. Congrats to one of the game’s all-time greats.”
The NBCA would like to congratulate longtime @NBA Assistant Coach, Maurice Cheeks, on being awarded the 2025 Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award!
Click the ‘News’ on the link in our bio to read the full press release. pic.twitter.com/3BWWGQVPTK
— NBA Coaches Assoc. (@NBA_Coaches) July 19, 2025
The award, which is named after former Knicks’ president Phil Jackson’s assistant coach, is given annually to an assistant coach “who has had a storied career as an NBA Assistant Coach and has made a consistent, substantial impact while on the bench.”
This is just the latest achievement in Cheeks’ Hall of Fame career, which includes an NBA championship, four All-Star appearances as a player, over 300 wins as a head coach, and six stops as an assistant coach over 21 years.
Cheeks, who spent two seasons with the Knicks during his playing career, returned to the team as an assistant coach last year. There is still no word as of now if he will return as part of Brown’s staff.