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, Jason Kidd, and Jrue Holiday have each won it twice.[5][6][7][8]

Winners

^ Denotes player who is still active in the NBA
* Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
† Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[a]
Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player has received the award
Season Player Position Nationality Team References
1995–96 Joe Dumars* Guard  United States Detroit Pistons [2]
1996–97 Terrell Brandon Guard  United States Cleveland Cavaliers [9]
1997–98 Avery Johnson Guard  United States San Antonio Spurs [10]
1998–99 Hersey Hawkins Guard  United States Seattle SuperSonics [11]
1999–00 Eric Snow Guard  United States Philadelphia 76ers [12]
2000–01 David Robinson* Center  United States San Antonio Spurs (2) [13]
2001–02 Steve Smith Guard  United States San Antonio Spurs (3) [14]
2002–03 Ray Allen* Guard  United States Seattle SuperSonics (2) [15]
2003–04 P. J. Brown Center/forward  United States New Orleans Hornets [16]
2004–05 Grant Hill* Forward  United States Orlando Magic [3]
2005–06 Elton Brand Forward  United States Los Angeles Clippers [17]
2006–07 Luol Deng Forward  United Kingdom[b] Chicago Bulls [1]
2007–08 Grant Hill* (2) Forward  United States Phoenix Suns [3]
2008–09 Chauncey Billups* Guard  United States Denver Nuggets [19]
2009–10 Grant Hill* (3) Forward  United States Phoenix Suns (2) [3]
2010–11 Stephen Curry^ Guard  United States Golden State Warriors [20]
2011–12 Jason Kidd* Guard  United States Dallas Mavericks [21]
2012–13 Jason Kidd* (2) Guard  United States New York Knicks [5]
2013–14 Mike Conley^ Guard  United States Memphis Grizzlies [22]
2014–15 Kyle Korver Guard/forward  United States Atlanta Hawks [23]
2015–16 Mike Conley^ (2) Guard  United States Memphis Grizzlies (2) [24]
2016–17 Kemba Walker† Guard  United States Charlotte Hornets [25]
2017–18 Kemba Walker† (2) Guard  United States Charlotte Hornets (2) [7]
2018–19 Mike Conley^ (3) Guard  United States Memphis Grizzlies (3) [26]
2019–20 Vince Carter* Forward  United States Atlanta Hawks (2) [27]
2020–21 Jrue Holiday^ Guard  United States Milwaukee Bucks [28]
2021–22 Patty Mills^ Guard Australia Brooklyn Nets [29]
2022–23 Mike Conley^ (4) Guard  United States Minnesota Timberwolves [30]
2023–24 Tyrese Maxey^ Guard  United States Philadelphia 76ers (2) [31]
2024–25 Jrue Holiday^ (2) Guard  United States Boston Celtics [8]

Multi-time winners

Awards Player Team Years
4 Mike Conley Memphis Grizzlies (3), Minnesota Timberwolves 2014, 2016, 2019, 2023
3 Grant Hill Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns (2) 2005, 2008, 2010
2 Jason Kidd Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks 2012, 2013
Kemba Walker Charlotte Hornets 2017, 2018
Jrue Holiday Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics 2021, 2025

Teams

Awards Teams Years
3 San Antonio Spurs 1998, 2001, 2002
Memphis Grizzlies 2014, 2016, 2019
2 Seattle SuperSonics 1999, 2003
Phoenix Suns 2008, 2010
Charlotte Hornets 2017, 2018
Atlanta Hawks 2015, 2020
Philadelphia 76ers 2000, 2024
1 Orlando Magic 2005
New York Knicks 2013
New Orleans Pelicans / New Orleans Hornets 2004
Los Angeles Clippers 2006
Golden State Warriors 2011
Detroit Pistons 1996
Denver Nuggets 2009
Dallas Mavericks 2012
Cleveland Cavaliers 1997
Chicago Bulls 2007
Milwaukee Bucks 2021
Brooklyn Nets 2022
Minnesota Timberwolves 2023
Boston Celtics 2025
0 Utah Jazz None
Indiana Pacers
Sacramento Kings
Los Angeles Lakers
Toronto Raptors
Washington Wizards
Miami Heat
Houston Rockets

See also

Notes

  1. A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for two calendar years.
  2. Luol Deng was born in Wau, a city in Sudan (South Sudan since July 9, 2011), but became a naturalized British citizen in 2006.[18]

References

  1. "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.
  2. "Divisional Winners Announced for NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on March 17, 2009.
  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.
  4. "Utah Jazz Acquire Guard Mike Conley Jr". Utah Jazz. July 6, 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.
  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.
  7. Rochinski, Matt (June 25, 2018). "Walker Wins Second Consecutive NBA Sportsmanship Award". Hornets.com.
  8. "Jrue Holiday wins 2024-25 NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. May 1, 2025.
  9. "Terrell Brandon Bio: 1996-97". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008.
  10. "Avery Johnson Bio: 1997-98". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-04-27.
  11. "Hersey Hawkins Bio: 1998-99". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008.
  12. "Eric Snow Bio: Personal". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008.
  13. "Admiral Lands Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 7, 2001. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010.
  14. "Spurs' Steve Smith Wins Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. June 12, 2002. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010.
  15. "Allen's message: Be true to yourself". ESPN.com. May 13, 2003.
  16. "Hornets' Brown Wins Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 24, 2004. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010.
  17. "L.A. Clippers' Elton Brand Wins NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 1, 2006. Archived from the original on July 10, 2010.
  18. "NBA star Deng ready for GB debut". BBC. October 18, 2006.
  19. "Nuggets' Billups named Sportsmanship Award winner". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 28, 2009. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009.
  20. "Warriors' Stephen Curry wins NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 5, 2011. Archived from the original on May 8, 2011.
  21. "Mavericks' Jason Kidd wins NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 3, 2012. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012.
  22. "Grizzlies' Mike Conley wins NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 24, 2014. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014.
  23. "Kyle Korver Wins 2014-15 NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 29, 2015.
  24. "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.
  25. "NBA Awards 2017". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. June 26, 2017.
  26. "Mike Conley Wins 2019 Teammate of the Year Award as well as the Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. June 24, 2019.
  27. "Vince Carter wins 2019-20 NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. October 1, 2020.
  28. "Jrue Holiday wins 2020-21 NBA Sportsmanship award". NBA.com. June 5, 2021.
  29. "Nets' Patty Mills wins 2021-22 NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com: NBA Communications. 2022-04-22.
  30. "Mike Conley wins 2022-23 NBA Sportsmanship award". NBA.com. July 7, 2023.
  31. "Sixers' Tyrese Maxey wins 2023-24 NBA Sportsmanship Award". NBA.com. May 17, 2024.