NBA Sportsmanship Award

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."[1] 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.

Every year, each of the 30 NBA teams nominates one of its players to compete for this award. From these nominees, one player from each NBA division are selected by a panel as the divisional Sportsmanship Award winners. At the end of the regular season, players in the league cast votes for the award, with eleven points given for each first-place vote, nine for second-place vote, seven points for third, five points for fourth, three points for fifth and one point for each sixth place vote received. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award. Since 2000, winners have been presented with the Joe Dumars Trophy, named after the award's inaugural recipient who played for the Detroit Pistons.[1][2]

Mike Conley has won the award four times; the most in NBA history.[3][4] Grant Hill has won it three times while Kemba Walker and Jason Kidd have both won it twice.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ a b "Chicago's Deng Wins 2006-07 NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 3, 2007. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2007.
  2. ^ "Divisional Winners Announced for NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on March 17, 2009. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
  3. ^ "Hill first-ever three-time NBA Sportsmanship Award winner". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 26, 2010. Archived from the original on April 29, 2010. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  4. ^ "Utah Jazz Acquire Guard Mike Conley Jr". Utah Jazz. July 6, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  5. ^ "New York's Jason Kidd wins NBA Sportsman Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 30, 2013. Archived from the original on December 4, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  6. ^ "Grizzlies' Conley wins 2015-16 NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 23, 2016. Archived from the original on May 31, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  7. ^ Rochinski, Matt (June 25, 2018). "Walker Wins Second Consecutive NBA Sportsmanship Award". Hornets.com. Retrieved October 28, 2018.