From a very early age, Mark Daigneault set a goal for himself to become a basketball head coach. Moreover, he followed the exact route that would take him to his destination. So, after graduating from the University of Connecticut, the American coach embarked on his journey without much delay. The road had many twists and turns, but it finally brought him to the bigger pond, the NBA, where his real test as an HC began.

When OKC hired Daigneault for the head coach’s job in 2020, the OKC Thunder had already let go of Russell Westbrook and Paul George. He was left with a comparatively young team. Notably, Daigneault was only 35, the second-youngest coach to ever lead a team in the league. However, after two unimpressive seasons under him, the Thunder showcased remarkable performances last season, which confirmed Daigneault’s position at the franchise for the upcoming years with his contract extension.

Significantly, General Manager Sam Presti announced the positive news in July last year that Daigneault had inked a multiyear contract with the Thunder. However, the terms of the contract were not revealed as per ESPN. Daigneault leads a very private life, which limits the public’s knowledge regarding his other sources of income, investments, and real estate holdings.

While his precise salary remains undisclosed, reports suggest it ranges from $1 million to $4 million per year. The Thunder showed confidence in Daigneault by extending his contract for multiple years, which indicates their faith in his vision for the franchise’s future.

For starters, he and the OKC jumped from a 24-58 to a 40-42 record in his second and third seasons, making this outcome unsurprising. The numbers helped him clinch the second spot on the NBA Coach of the Year list. The following season, Daigneault accomplished that as well. Talk about rapid improvement and a renaissance story after initial mediocre years.

Watch out guys, the OKC is coming to get you!

Mark Daigneault’s coaching experience and title success with the OKC Thunder

Before starting his journey as a head coach, the OKC head coach spent roughly four years (2010-14) as an assistant to HC Billy Donovan at Florida, where he was also responsible for scouting and helping players with off-court duties. His prior experience helped him to manage the Thunder’s G-League affiliate, the OKC Blue, as the head coach.

After succeeding by earning the divisional championship titles three consecutive times, Daigneault got the much-needed promotion he always aimed at. The Oklahoma City Thunder recruited him in 2019 as the assistant coach, where he got another opportunity to work with Donovan. However, it didn’t last long before the franchise replaced Donovan with Daigneault the next season.

The young coach was thrilled with the honor. “Over my six years in Oklahoma City, I’ve developed a deep commitment to the organization and a care for what is truly a special community that I call home,” Daigneault said after being the Thunder HC. Clarifying his objectives, he stated, “From my first day here, my values have always been aligned with those of the organization, and I’m looking forward to helping them continue to be lived out on and off the court.”

High expectations mounted the OKC coach after achieving success in the G-League. However, his first season did not go as planned. The 44-28 record under Donovan dropped to 22-50 in 2020-21 under the new coach and the Thunder were in the 14th spot in the Western Conference table.

The next season was no different. They held on to the same spot with a 24-58 record this time. But that was not everything that Daigneault had to offer. Despite the two early disasters, he didn’t give up. Rather, Daigneault formed a stronger force and recorded 40 wins in the 2022-23 season while facing 42 losses. That changed both the franchise and the HC’s fate.

The contract extension and second spot on the coaching list only fueled Daigneault, who had bigger dreams. With his innovative and unconventional coaching style, Daigneault helped the youngest OKC team finish at the top of the Western table with a 57-25 record. Unfortunately, they couldn’t go past the Mavericks in the conference semifinals. However, the league awarded Daigneault the NBA Coach of the Year title, which was the ultimate mark of his brilliance.

The team will be expected to perform in the same way under Daigneault this season and with the offseason moves that got them Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, this year just might be the year when they finally go all the way. The OKC lads are here to stay.