List of NBA awards

Last updated

The National Basketball Association (NBA) presents 13 annual awards to recognize its teams, players, and coaches for their accomplishments. This does not include the NBA championship trophy which is given to the winning team of the NBA Finals. The NBA's championship trophy made its first appearance after the inaugural NBA Finals in 1947. In 1964, it was named after Walter A. Brown who was instrumental in merging the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League into the NBA. [1] [2] The Brown Trophy design remained the same until 1977 when the current trophy design was first introduced although it retained the Walter A. Brown title. [3] In 1984, the trophy was renamed to honor former NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien. [3] [4] [5] The NBA then first started awarding Eastern Conference and Western Conference championship trophies in 2001, renaming them in 2022 after former players Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson, respectively. [6]

Contents

The NBA's first individual awards were the Rookie of the Year and the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, both of which were introduced in 1953. [7] [8] Three individual awards are awarded during the postseason: the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP, the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP, and the Bill Russell Finals MVP. The Executive of the Year is the only award not presented by the NBA. It is named annually by Sporting News but is officially recognized by the NBA. [9]

Through the 2015–16 season and since the 2019–20 season, each individual award, with the exception of the Finals MVP, was awarded at the end of the regular season while the NBA playoffs were ongoing. This procedure was different from the other major professional sports leagues, which have long handed out individual awards after their postseasons have concluded. The 2016–17 season was the first in which the NBA held an awards show after the completion of the Finals, [10] during which the winners of all season-long individual awards are announced [11] except for the winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, which continued to be announced during the playoffs until 2017 [12] and in 2018 was announced after the playoffs but before the awards show. [13]

Aside from these annual awards, the league also has weekly and monthly honors during the regular season for its players and coaches. In 2021, the NBA made a social justice award, named after 6-time NBA champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award. This award was made to recognize players who are making strides in the fight for social justice.

Team trophies

AwardFirst awardedDescriptionMost recent winnerNotes
Larry O'Brien Trophy 1977 The NBA's championship trophy; awarded to the winning team of the NBA Finals. Named after Larry O'Brien, who served as NBA Commissioner from 1975 to 1984. Denver Nuggets [3] [4]
Walter A. Brown Trophy 1947 The NBA's first championship trophy which was awarded to the winning team of the NBA Finals until it was replaced with the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Named after team owner Walter A. Brown.N/A; trophy retired after 1977 [5]
Bob Cousy Trophy 2001 The NBA's Eastern Conference championship trophy; awarded to the winning team of the Eastern Conference Finals. Renamed after point guard Bob Cousy in 2022. Miami Heat [6] [14]
Oscar Robertson Trophy 2001 The NBA's Western Conference championship trophy; awarded to the winning team of the Western Conference Finals. Renamed after point guard Oscar Robertson in 2022. Denver Nuggets [6] [14]
Maurice Podoloff Trophy 2023 The NBA's regular season championship trophy; awarded to the team with the best overall record in the regular season. Named after Maurice Podoloff, who served as NBA commissioner from 1946 to 1963. A previous Maurice Podoloff Trophy was awarded until 2021 to the NBA's most valuable player in the regular season. Boston Celtics [15]
NBA Cup 2023 The NBA's in-season tournament championship trophy; awarded to the winning team of the NBA Cup tournament. Los Angeles Lakers [16] [17]
Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton Trophy 2022 The NBA's Atlantic Division championship trophy; awarded to the first-placed team in the Atlantic Division. Named after Nat Clifton, the first African American player to sign an NBA contract. Boston Celtics [18]
Wayne Embry Trophy 2022 The NBA's Central Division championship trophy; awarded to the first-placed team in the Central Division. Named after Wayne Embry, the first African American NBA general manager and team president. Milwaukee Bucks [18]
Earl Lloyd Trophy 2022 The NBA's Southeast Division championship trophy; awarded to the first-placed team in the Southeast Division. Named after Earl Lloyd, the first African American player to play a game in the NBA. Orlando Magic [18]
Willis Reed Trophy 2022 The NBA's Southwest Division championship trophy; awarded to the first-placed team in the Southwest Division. Named after player, coach, and general manager Willis Reed. Dallas Mavericks [18]
Sam Jones Trophy 2022 The NBA's Northwest Division championship trophy; awarded to the first-placed team in the Northwest Division. Named after shooting guard Sam Jones. Oklahoma City Thunder [18]
Chuck Cooper Trophy 2022 The NBA's Pacific Division championship trophy; awarded to the first-placed team in the Pacific Division. Named after Chuck Cooper, the first African American player to be drafted by an NBA team. Los Angeles Clippers [18]

Honors

HonorFirst awardedDescriptionNotes
All-NBA Team 1947 Three 5-player teams (a first, second, and third team) composed of the best players in the league during the regular season as voted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. [19]
All-Rookie Team 1963 Two 5-player teams (a first and second team) composed of the top rookies during the regular season as voted by NBA head coaches. The coaches are not allowed to vote for players of their own team. [20]
All-Defensive Team 1969 Two 5-player teams (a first and second team) composed of the best defensive players in the league during the regular season as voted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. [21]

Individual awards

AwardFirst awardedDescriptionMost recent winner(s)Notes
All-Star Game MVP 1951 Awarded to the best performing player of the annual NBA All-Star Game as voted by a panel of media members. Trophy renamed after shooting guard Kobe Bryant in 2020. Damian Lillard (Milwaukee Bucks) [22]
Rookie of the Year 1953 Awarded to the top rookie of the NBA regular season as voted by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada. Trophy renamed after center Wilt Chamberlain in 2022. Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic) [23] [24]
Most Valuable Player 1956 Awarded to the best performing player of the NBA regular season as voted by a panel of sportswriters and media members. Trophy was originally named after Maurice Podoloff, the NBA commissioner from 1946 to 1963, but was dropped in 2021. In 2022, the trophy was renamed after shooting guard Michael Jordan. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) [25] [24]
Coach of the Year 1963 Awarded to the best coach of the NBA regular season as voted by a panel of sportswriters and media members. Trophy renamed after coach Red Auerbach in 1967. Mike Brown (Sacramento Kings) [15] [26]
NBA Finals Most Valuable Player 1969 Awarded to the best performing player of the NBA Finals as voted by a panel of nine media members. [a] Trophy renamed after center Bill Russell in 2009. [27] Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets) [28]
NBA Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player 2022 Awarded to the best performing player of the Eastern Conference Finals as voted by a panel of media members. Trophy named after forward Larry Bird. Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat) [14]
NBA Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player 2022 Awarded to the best performing player of the Western Conference Finals as voted by a panel of media members. Trophy named after point guard Magic Johnson. Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets) [14]
NBA Cup Most Valuable Player 2023 Awarded to the best performing player of the NBA Cup tournament as voted by a panel of media members. LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) [17]
Executive of the Year 1973 Awarded to the NBA's top front office executive as voted by the executives from the league's 30 teams. Monte McNair (Sacramento Kings) [29]
Citizenship Award 1975 Awarded to a team member who showed "great service and dedication to the community" as voted by the PBWA. Named after J. Walter Kennedy, who served as NBA Commissioner from 1963 to 1975. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) [13] [30]
Defensive Player of the Year 1983 Awarded to the top defensive player of the NBA regular season as voted by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada. Trophy renamed after center Hakeem Olajuwon in 2022. Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies) [31] [24]
Sixth Man of the Year 1983 Awarded to the best performing player as a substitute (or sixth man) during the NBA regular season as voted by a panel of sportswriters. Trophy renamed after small forward John Havlicek in 2022. Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves) [32] [24]
Most Improved Player 1986 Awarded to the most improved player in the NBA as voted by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada. Trophy renamed after center George Mikan in 2022. Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers) [33] [24]
Sportsmanship Award 1996 Awarded to the player who most displays "the ideals of sportsmanship on the court with ethical behavior, fair play and integrity" as voted by NBA players. Trophy named after shooting guard Joe Dumars. Mike Conley Jr. (Minnesota Timberwolves) [34]
Teammate of the Year 2013 Awarded to the "ideal teammate" who exemplifies "selfless play and commitment and dedication to his team" as voted by NBA players. Named after Jack Twyman and Maurice Stokes, who were teammates from 1955 to 1958. Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks) [35]
Lifetime Achievement Award 2017 Awarded to the NBA player who has had a lifetime of achievement in the NBA. Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers) and Larry Bird (Boston Celtics) [36]
Social Justice Champion Award 2021 Awarded to the NBA player who are making strides in the fight for social justice. Named after center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, based on his involvement with social activism. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) [37]
Clutch Player of the Year 2023 Awarded to the NBA player who best comes through for his teammates in the clutch. Trophy named after point guard Jerry West. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) [24] [38]
Hustle Award 2017 Awarded to the NBA player who makes the effort plays that don’t often appear in the traditional box score but impact winning on a nightly basis. Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics) [39]

See also

Notes

Related Research Articles

The NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1955–56 season to the best performing player of the regular season. Since the 2022–23 season, winners receive the Michael Jordan Trophy, named for the five-time MVP often considered the best player in NBA history.

The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the top rookie(s) of the regular season. Initiated following the 1952–53 NBA season, it confers the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, named after the former Philadelphia Warriors head coach. Since the 2022–23 NBA season, winners receive the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy, named after the former Rookie of the Year winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award</span> National Basketball Association award

The NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points, second-place votes are worth three points, and a third-place vote is worth one. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award. Since the 2022–23 NBA season, winners receive the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, named after the two-time defensive player of the year winner.

The National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's best performing player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute. A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout the United States and Canada votes on the recipient. Since the 2022–23 NBA season, winners receive the John Havlicek Trophy, named after the eight-time NBA champion.

The NBA conference finals are the Eastern and Western championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA), a major professional basketball league in North America. The NBA was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The NBA adopted its current name at the start of the 1949–50 season when the BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL). The league currently consists of 30 teams, of which 29 are located in the United States and 1 in Canada. Each team plays 82 games in the regular season. After the regular season, eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs. At the end of the playoffs, the top two teams play each other in the conference finals, to determine the Conference Champions from each side, who then proceed to play in the NBA Finals. Trophies were given to each conference winner starting in 2001. In 2022, they named them the Bob Cousy Trophy for the Eastern Conference and the Oscar Robertson Trophy for the Western Conference. Also that year, the league started naming an NBA conference finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for each conference.

The Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1969 NBA Finals. The award is decided by a panel of eleven media members, who cast votes after the conclusion of the Finals. The person with the highest number of votes wins the award. The award was originally a black trophy with a gold basketball-shaped sphere at the top, similar to the Larry O'Brien Trophy, until a new trophy was introduced in 2005.

The NBA's Most Improved Player Award (MIP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the player who has shown the most progress during the regular season compared to previous seasons. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points; each second-place vote is worth three points, and each third-place vote is worth one point. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award. The criteria for selecting the most improved player was initially open-ended, but the NBA clarified in later years that it was intended for an up-and-coming player who improved dramatically and not a player who made a comeback, distinguishing it from the defunct NBA Comeback Player of the Year Award. Since the 2022–23 NBA season, winners receive the George Mikan Trophy, named after the five-time NBA champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy</span> National Basketball Association trophy

The Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy is the championship trophy awarded annually by the National Basketball Association (NBA) to the winner of the NBA Finals. The trophy originally kept the Walter A. Brown Trophy name of its predecessor until being renamed in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 NBA All-Star Game</span> Basketball game that was played on February 15, 2009

The 2009 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 15, 2009, during the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2008–09 season. It was the 58th edition of the NBA All-Star Game, and was played at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, home of the Phoenix Suns. The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 146–119. The West's Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were named joint winners of the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award. This was the third time that Phoenix had hosted the All-Star Game; the city had previously hosted the event in 1975 and 1995. Phoenix was awarded the All-Star Game in an announcement by commissioner David Stern on November 8, 2007. The other reported contenders for the 2009 contest were Air Canada Centre at Toronto, Madison Square Garden at New York City, Oracle Arena at Oakland and Bradley Center at Milwaukee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iowa Wolves</span> American minor league basketball team

The Iowa Wolves are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Des Moines, Iowa, and are affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves play their home games at the Wells Fargo Arena and compete in the Western Conference of the NBA G League. From 2007 to 2017, the team was known as the Iowa Energy in the NBA Development League (D-League) until being purchased and renamed by the Timberwolves. They broke the D-league attendance record on their first home game with 8,842 fans. They later set the record again in game two of the 2011 D-League Finals with an attendance of 14,036 fans. They won the 2011 D-League Finals, defeating the Rio Grande Valley Vipers two-games-to-one.

The NBA Sportsmanship Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to a player who most "exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court with ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity." It is directly analogous to the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award, which has been awarded by the NBA's sister league, the WNBA, with neither award demanding excellence of play.

The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally composed of two five-man lineups: a first team and a second team. The players each receive two points for each first team vote and one point for each second team vote. The top five players with the highest point total make the first team, with the next five making the second team. In the case of a tie at the fifth position of either team, the roster is expanded. If the first team consists of six players due to a tie, the second team will still consist of five players with the potential for more expansion in the event of additional ties. Ties have occurred several times, most recently in 2012, when Kawhi Leonard, Iman Shumpert, and Brandon Knight tied in votes received. No respect is given to positions. For example, the first team had four forwards, and one guard in 2008, while the first team had four centers and one guard in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Celtics accomplishments and records</span>

This is a comprehensive list of the accomplishments and records of the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are an American professional basketball team currently playing in the National Basketball Association.

The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals, four games to one.

The Maurice Podoloff Trophy is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 2022–23 season to the team with the best overall record at the end of the regular season. The award is named after Maurice Podoloff, who served as the first commissioner of the NBA from 1946 until 1963.

The Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award is an annual award in the National Basketball Association (NBA) that recognizes the league's "ideal teammate" who exemplifies "selfless play and commitment and dedication to his team." The award is named after Jack Twyman and Maurice Stokes. The two played together on the Rochester/Cincinnati Royals from 1955 to 1958 until Stokes' career was cut short after he suffered a head injury from a fall during a game against the Minneapolis Lakers. Stokes later became paralyzed due to post-traumatic encephalopathy, a brain injury that damages the motor-control center. Twyman then became Stokes' legal guardian and advocate until Stokes died in 1970.

References

General

Specific

  1. ↑ "Walter A. Brown". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved July 27, 2008.
  2. ↑ "NBA". Encyclopædia Britannica . Retrieved July 27, 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 "Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved July 26, 2008.
  4. 1 2 "The trophies". St. Petersburg Times . April 10, 2003. Retrieved July 26, 2008.
  5. 1 2 "NBA Legends Launch 2005 NBA Legends Tour: Destination Finals". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2008.
  6. 1 2 3 "NBA redesigns Finals trophy, adds awards named after Magic Johnson, Larry Bird". Washington Post. May 12, 2022. To complete the postseason collection, the NBA updated its conference championship trophies, first created in 2001, and renamed them after Hall of Famers Bob Cousy (for the East) and Oscar Robertson (for the West)
  7. ↑ "All-Star Game: Year-by-Year Results". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on April 13, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Rookie of the Year". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2008.
  9. ↑ "Reports: Baylor wins NBA executive of the year". ESPN. May 14, 2006. Retrieved July 24, 2008.
  10. ↑ "First-ever NBA awards show to air June 2017 on TNT" (Press release). National Basketball Association. November 1, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  11. ↑ "2017 NBA Awards Finalists". National Basketball Association. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James wins PBWA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award" (Press release). National Basketball Association. May 21, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  13. 1 2 "Mavericks' J. J. Barea Wins 2017-18 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award" (Press release). National Basketball Association. June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "NBA introduces new lineup of postseason hardware". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  15. 1 2 "NBA unveils redesigned trophies for end-of-season awards". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  16. ↑ "In-Season Tournament 101: Rules, format and how it works". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  17. 1 2 "NBA unveils trophies for inaugural In-Season Tournament". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "NBA unveils new trophies for division winners named after 6 NBA legends". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  19. ↑ "MVP Nash Highlights All-NBA First Team". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 17, 2006. Archived from the original on February 28, 2007. Retrieved October 30, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Durant, Horford Headline T-Mobile All-Rookie Team". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 14, 2008. Archived from the original on July 31, 2008. Retrieved October 30, 2008.
  21. ↑ "Kobe, Garnett Headline All-Defensive Team". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on July 26, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2008.
  22. ↑ "NBA All-Star Game MVPs". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  23. ↑ "NBA Rookie of the Year Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "NBA unveils The Michael Jordan Trophy to awarded to Kia MVP". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  25. ↑ "NBA MVP Award Winners". www.nba.com. 2024-04-24. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  26. ↑ "NBA Coach of the Year Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  27. ↑ "The Finals MVP to Receive Bill Russell MVP Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 14, 2009. Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
  28. ↑ "NBA Finals MVP Award Winners". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  29. ↑ "NBA Executive of the Year Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  30. ↑ "NBA J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  31. ↑ "NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  32. ↑ "NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  33. ↑ "NBA Most Improved Player Award Winners". NBA.com. April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  34. ↑ "NBA Sportsmanship Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  35. ↑ "NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  36. ↑ "2018 NBA Awards Complete List of Winners". National Basketball Association. June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  37. ↑ "All-time NBA Social Justice Champion Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  38. ↑ "Clutch Player of the Year Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  39. ↑ "NBA Hustle Award Winners". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  40. ↑ Mike Bresnahan (June 19, 2008). "Numbers from final game tell bad tale for Lakers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 15, 2008.
  41. ↑ Johnny Ludden (June 25, 2005). "MVP voting as close as the series". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved July 15, 2008.
  42. ↑ "Clippers' Montrezl Harrell wins NBA Hustle Award". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
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