Individual Awards
| Award | Created | Description | Most recent winner(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Star Game Most Valuable Player | 1953 | Awarded to the best performing player of the annual NBA All-Star Game as voted by a panel of media members. | Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) | |
| Rookie of the Year (Eddie Gottlieb Trophy) |
1953 | Awarded to the top rookie of the regular NBA season as voted by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada. | Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers) | |
| Most Valuable Player (Maurice Podoloff Trophy) |
1956 | Awarded to the best performing player of the regular NBA season as voted by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada. | LeBron James (Miami Heat) | |
| Coach of the Year (Red Auerbach Trophy) |
1963 | Awarded to the best coach of the regular NBA season as voted by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada. | Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) | |
| Bill Russell Finals Most Valuable Player | 1969 | Named after Bill Russell; awarded to the best performing player of the NBA Finals as voted by a panel of nine media members. | LeBron James (Miami Heat) | |
| Executive of the Year | 1973 | Awarded to the NBA's best front office executive as voted by executives from the league's 30 teams. | Larry Bird (Indiana Pacers) | |
| J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award | 1975 | Named after J. Walter Kennedy; awarded to a player, coach or trainer who shows "outstanding service and dedication to the community" as selected by the Professional Basketball Writers Association (PBWA). | Pau Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers) | |
| Defensive Player of the Year | 1984 | Awarded to the top defensive player of the regular NBA season as voted by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada. | Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks) | |
| Sixth Man of the Year | 1984 | Awarded to the NBA's best performing player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute (or sixth man) as voted by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada. | James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder) | |
| Most Improved Player | 1986 | Awarded to the most improved player of the regular NBA season as voted by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada. | Ryan Anderson (Orlando Magic) | |
| Sportsmanship Award (Joe Dumars Trophy) |
1996 | Awarded to the player who most "exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court—ethical behavior, fair play and integrity" as voted by NBA players. | Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks) |
Read more about this topic: National Basketball Association Awards
Famous quotes containing the word individual:
“By an individual being, whatever one’s metaphysical doctrine, one means an unique being, that is, a being which is alone of its own type, or is such that no other of its class exists.”
—Josiah Royce (1855–1916)
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