Jrue Holiday of the Boston Celtics has won the NBA Sports Award for the second time, making it the fifth player in the history of the League to win that trophy in several years.
Holiday received about 34% of the first place votes cast by almost 400 current NBA players to decide the winner of the prize.
Jarrett Allen de Cleveland finished second, Kyrie Irving de Dallas was third, Shai Gilgous-Alexander of Oklahoma City, Dorian Finney-Smith of Los Angeles Lakers, was fifth and Franz Wagner de Orlando was sixth.
“In my experience, some of the best competitors are those who combine a quiet confidence with humility, show respect for competition with their own preparation and work, and have the resistance of navigating the ups and downs of a season with determination and perspective,” said the president of the Celtics, Brad Stevens. “There is no better example of this than Jrue. He is the best teammate and gives a great example for those who strive to compete with integrity. His game speaks and its impact, on and off the court, goes far beyond his game.”
Holiday joins the four -time Mike Conley winner, the three -time Grant Hill winner and the two -time winners Jason Kidd and Kemba Walker as people to win the award more than once. Holiday will receive the Joe Dumars trophy, named for the Basketball Hall of Fame, twice champion and the opening winner of the SportsManhip award after the 1995-96 season.
Recently, Dumars left his role as NBA executive to return to his native Louisiana as Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for New Orleans Pelicans.
Each of the 30 NBA teams nominated a player for the sports prize, and the league executives reduced that list to six finalists, one of each division.
Holiday also received the Twyman-Stokes team award three times and is a finalist again this season for the NBA Social Justice Champion Award. That prize has existed for five years; Holiday has been a finalist in three of them.
It is twice all-Star, twice NBA champion, twice Olympic gold medalist and six times team selection of all defensive.
The sports prize is the eighth prize that is announced by the NBA since the end of the regular season. Stephen Curry by Golden State won the Twyman-Stokes Team Award And his teammate of the Warriors, Draymond Green, won the prize; Those awards, such as Sportsmanship One, are not selected by the panel of 100 worldwide reporters and broadcasters who vote for other honors of the NBA season.
Other winners of the award so far this season: Dyson Daniels de Atlanta won Most improved playerSan Antonio Stephon Castle won Rookie of the yearEvan Mobley Won De Cleveland Defensive player of the yearNew York Jalen Brunson won Clutch player of the year And Payton Priton Pritchard de Boston won Sixth man of the year.
The awards that will be announced later in the playoffs include MVP (either Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic of Denver or Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee), coach of the year (either JB Bickerstaff of Detroit, All-Defense of Cleveland.
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