Mike Brown has been crowned the NBA's Coach of the Year after leading the Sacramento Kings to their first playoffs in 17 years.

Brown, who only took over as Kings head coach in May last year after six years as an assistant coach at the Golden State Warriors, was a unanimous selection for the Red Auerbach Trophy.

The Kings head coach claimed every single one of the 100 first-place votes, making it two awards in two nights for Sacramento after De'Aaron Fox was named the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year.

"These honours don't come around often, so you're very appreciative of them," Brown said on TNT.

Brown won the award ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder's Mark Daignault and Boston Celtics' Joe Mazzulla.

He became the first-ever unanimous Coach of the Year, having led Sacramento to the Western Conference three seed with a 48-34 record, with the Kings 2-0 up against the Golden State Warriors in their first round playoff series.

"I had to make sure I understood what their strengths were, and I had to accept being able to play to their strengths," Brown said.

Prior to this season, the Kings' last winning campaign was in 2005-06, when they last made the playoffs with a 44-38 record.

The Kings have not won a playoff series since 2003-04, beating the Dallas Mavericks in the first round 4-1.