Los Angeles Lakers President of Basketball Operations, Magic Johnson, is one of the latest proponents for Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni to win Coach of the Year honors.

“He's got to be coach of the year,” Johnson told reporters on Tuesday. “He's done an amazing job. I don't know how he's not going to win Coach of the Year.”

The statement comes years after Magic publicly criticized D'Antoni's coaching during his short two-year stint with the Lakers, going 67-87 from 2012-14.

Different team, different story — D'Antoni has managed to make the most out of the components on the Rockets roster, making the most of a 1-3-5 defensive combo that allows for the ultimate versatility.

His offensive genius hasn't fallen short either, tapping into James Harden‘s playmaking capabilities and making a solid case for his MVP candidacy, despite a very tight race to the finish line. Harden is averaging career-high numbers in scoring, rebounds, and assists; in which he leads the league.

D'Antoni has the Rockets at 52-25 through 77 games this season, a plus-11 win improvement from last season's 41-41 record with five games to go and a guaranteed third seed in a very competitive Western Conference.