Russell Westbrook’s emotional MVP speech, Bill Russell threatening to kick the ass of five Hall of Famers on stage, and a mostly-good-but-sometimes-awkward Drake hosting the event were the things that stood out most from the first-ever NBA Awards show on Monday night in Basketball City at Pier 36 in New York.
In years past, awards were released at the end of the season, but this is the first time it’s happening in an award show setting. The NBA handed awards for MVP, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Defensive Player of the Year, plus much more.
The full list of winners and partial voting results appears below.
KIA NBA Most Valuable Player: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Russell Westbrook had one of the most impressive NBA seasons we have ever seen and now it’s complete with him winning the MVP award. Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game, and was the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for a season.
Nominees
- James Harden - Houston Rockets
- Kawhi Leonard - San Antonio Spurs
- Russell Westbrook - Oklahoma City Thunder
Voting
2017 NBA MVP voting
| Player | 1st Place Vote (10 points) | 2nd Place Vote (7 points) | 3rd Place Vote (5 points) | 4th Place Vote (3 points) | 5 Place Vote (1 point) | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | 1st Place Vote (10 points) | 2nd Place Vote (7 points) | 3rd Place Vote (5 points) | 4th Place Vote (3 points) | 5 Place Vote (1 point) | Totals |
| Russell Westbrook | 69 | 19 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 888 |
| James Harden | 22 | 69 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 753 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 9 | 9 | 52 | 28 | 3 | 500 |
| LeBron James | 1 | 4 | 19 | 63 | 11 | 333 |
| Isaiah Thomas | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 37 | 81 |
| Stephen Curry | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 52 |
| John Wall | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Anthony Davis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Kevin Durant | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| DeMar DeRozan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
KIA NBA Defensive Player of the Year: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
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Draymond Green was the DPOY runner-up two years in a row but now the award is completely his. He can guard every player on the court, anchoring the champion Golden State Warriors’ defense.
Nominees
- Rudy Gobert - Utah Jazz
- Draymond Green - Golden State Warriors
- Kawhi Leonard - San Antonio Spurs
Voting
- Draymond Green - 434 (73 first place votes)
- Rudy Gobert - 269 (16)
- Kawhi Leonard - 182 (11)
- Full voting results can be found here
NBA Coach of the Year: Mike D’Antoni, Houston Rockets
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D’Antoni took the Rockets from a 41-win team to a 55-win team one in just a season, and it was incredible.
Nominees
- Mike D’Antoni - Houston Rockets
- Gregg Popovich - San Antonio Spurs
- Erik Spoelstra - Miami Heat
Voting
- Mike D’Antoni - 400 (68 first place votes)
- Erik Spoelstra - 153 (9)
- Gregg Popovich - 115 (8)
- Brad Stevens - 96 (7)
- Scott Brooks - 63 (5)
- Quin Synder - 37 (1)
- Steve Kerr - 14 (1)
- Jason Kidd - 13 (1)
- Full voting results can be found here
KIA Most Improved Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
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Antetokounmpo became the first player in league history to finish top-20 in all five major categories, which were points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
Nominees
- Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks
- Rudy Gobert - Utah Jazz
- Nikola Jokic - Denver Nuggets
Voting
- Giannis Antetokounmpo - 428 (80 first place votes)
- Nikola Jokic - 161 (14)
- Rudy Gobert - 113 (1)
- Otto Porter Jr. - 43 (1)
- Isaiah Thomas - 35
- James Johnson - 34 (1)
- Bradley Beal - 19 (1)
- Devin Booker - 18 (1)
- Tim Hardaway Jr. - 14
- Full voting results can be found here
KIA NBA Sixth Man Award: Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
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Eric Gordon averaged 16.2 points during the 2016-2017 season, shooting 37 percent from the three-point line. He made 246 threes during the year, which was more than everyone except the star-studded list of James Harden, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry.
Nominees
- Eric Gordon - Houston Rockets
- Andre Iguodala - Golden State Warriors
- Lou Williams - Houston Rockets
Voting
- Eric Gordon - 358 (46 first place votes)
- Andre Iguodala - 326 (43)
- Lou Williams - 70 (5)
- Zach Randolph - 46 (2)
- James Johnson - 25 (1)
- Full voting results can be found here
KIA NBA Rookie of the Year: Malcolm Brogdon, Milwaukee Bucks
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Malcolm Brogdon was drafted 36th, the lowest ever to win Rookie of the Year. He averaged 10 points and four assists, helping the Bucks to a 42-40 record for the sixth place in the East.
Nominees
- Malcolm Brogdon - Milwaukee Bucks
- Joel Embiid - Philadelphia 76ers
- Dario Saric - Philadelphia 76ers
Voting
- Malcolm Brogdon - 414 (64 first place votes)
- Dario Saric - 266 (13)
- Joel Embiid - 177 (23)
- Buddy Hield - 21
- Full voting results can be found here
NBA Executive of the Year: Bob Myers, Golden State Warriors
Myers signed Kevin Durant, a top-three player, to a team that already won 73 games the previous season. It was enough to seal the deal in his favor.
Note: Executive of the Year is voted on by league general managers, not media. They cannot vote for themselves.
Voting
- Bob Myers (Golden State) - 59 points (9 first place votes)
- Daryl Morey (Houston) - 57 points (7 first place votes)
- Dennis Lindsey (Utah) - 49 points (6 first place votes)
- Danny Ainge (Boston) - 29 points (4 first place votes)
- Ernie Grunfield (Washington) - 15 points (1 first place vote)
- R.C. Buford (San Antonio) - 10 points
- Full voting results can be found here
Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
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It was a close race, but Dirk Nowitzki was named Teammate of the Year. It’s also notable that three of the top four vote getters were members of the 2011 Mavericks championship team.
Note: Teammate of the Year is voted on by players, not media. Players cannot for their own teammates.
- Dirk Nowitzki - 1057 (41 first place votes)
- Tyson Chandler - 1002 (50)
- Udonis Haslem - 850 (27)
- Jason Terry - 837 (33)
- Mike Miller - 827 (36)
- Manu Ginobili - 756 (16)
- Full voting results can be found here
Lifetime Achievement Award: Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
Bill Russell accepts the @NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/MhlEyhm1q1
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 27, 2017
NBA Sportsmanship Award: Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
"My peers voted for this award. That means a lot, to be respected among those guys." -@KembaWalker on the NBA Sportsmanship Award #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/ckjIcY2Oms
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 26, 2017
“My parents raised me to be a certain way, to carry myself a certain way, so I do my best to represent them” — Kemba Walker
Voting
- Kemba Walker - 2,424 (88 first place votes)
- Kyrie Irving - 2,042 (52)
- Shaun Livingston - 1,962 (70)
- Full voting results can be found here
Sager Strong Award: Monty Williams, San Antonio Spurs
We're honored to be a part of your NBA Family, Monty. #SagerStrong pic.twitter.com/TbtFYiVUkN
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) June 27, 2017
Best Style Award: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
.@russwest44 receiving the inaugural "Best Style Award" from @KristenLedlow on the #NBAAwards Red Carpet. pic.twitter.com/a8nSbelTYl
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 27, 2017
“I think the fans do an amazing job of watching the game and obviously watching myself stroll to the arena and postgame outfits, but I definitely appreciate it. Thanks to the fans, I appreciate your vote to win this.” -- Russell Westbrook
Hustle Stats Award: Patrick Beverley, Houston Rockets
Patrick Beverley is the recipient of the 2016-17 NBA Hustle Award! #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/cmW51GINGy
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 27, 2017
Assist of the Year: Stephen Curry to Kevin Durant on the break!
Steph Curry just throws it up & KD flushes it home! https://t.co/BFKnzbfVnn
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 6, 2016
Block of the Year: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Let's just relive that whole sequence. #BlockOfTheYear #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/iHu5kVaCTp
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) June 27, 2017
Dunk of the Year: Victor Oladipo dunks on Dwight Howard
That December night in Atlanta. That dunk! Victor Oladipo! Fans voted it the NBA's #DunkoftheYear! #NBAAwards. #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/CQYnDFuNn4
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) June 27, 2017
Performance of the Year: Klay Thompson scores 60 points against Pacers
Klay Thompson wins the fan vote for Performance of the Year! #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/e6SgFFtHSA
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 27, 2017
Thompson scored 60 points in 29 minutes while only taking 11 dribbles against the Pacers. Incredible.
Game-Winner of the Year: Russell Westbrook over the Denver Nuggets
Another honor for Russ! Fans picked this clutch moment in Denver as the #GameWinneroftheYear. #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/53xcNDt9oc
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) June 27, 2017