2017 NBA Awards

For the first time in the history of the league, the National Basketball Association had their awards show aired on live TV. There was a new twist to this years awards. You had your traditional end of season awards as well as the all defensive and all rookie teams announced. Then you had awards that were given out that were voted on by the fans, like best dunk, best block ect. 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.

So here are the 2017 National Basketball Association Award Winners!

NBA All-Rookie Team
Malcolm Brogdon, Milwaukee Bucks
Dario Saric, Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings
Willy Hernangomez, New York Knicks

NBA All-Defensive Team
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Chris Paul, LA Clippers
Patrick Beverley, Houston Rockets

Sager Strong Award: Monty Williams, San Antonio Spurs

Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Lifetime Achievement Award: Bill Russell, Boston Celtics

Best Style Award: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Hustle Stats Award: Patrick Beverley, Houston Rockets

Assist of the Year: Stephen Curry to Kevin Durant on the break vs Indiana!

Block of the Year: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs vs Houston!

Dunk of the Year: Victor Oladipo dunks on Dwight Howard!

Performance of the Year: Klay Thompson scores 60 points against Pacers!

Game-Winner of the Year: Russell Westbrook over the Denver Nuggets!

NBA Executive of the Year: Bob Myers, Golden State Warriors
Well that's kind of what happens when you come off a 73 win regular season a year ago only to sign one of the three best players available in the game today. When Durant was on the market, Meyers did what he had to do in order to snatch him up, so who could blame him for going out and getting the best player available. It lead them to their 2nd title in three years. Lerts give credit where its due, he got more votes then the two guys behind him Daryl Morey of Houston and Dennis Lindsey of Utah, both of whom were very respectable in their own rights building their teams.

NBA Coach of the Year: Mike D’Antoni, Houston Rockets
Gregg Popovich of the Spurs and Erik Spoelstra of the Heat both did outstanding jobs with their basketball clubs this year, you can't take that away from them. But what D'Antoni did this year in Houston was downright phenominal. He took a Rockets team that finished even at 41-41 a season ago, and lead them to a 55-27 record this year, finishing 2nd in the Southwest division and 3rd overall in the Western Conference. A fourteen win jump from last year to this year is pretty impressive, and great coaching has everything to do with it.

KIA Most Improved Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
The Greek Freak had an outstanding year in his fourth year in the league, his numbers were all up from a year ago. 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. He finished with 22.9 ppg, the most he's had in his career, along with higher field goal percentage at 52.2%. He was good and only going to get better as the face of the Bucks Franchise.

KIA NBA Sixth Man Award: Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
Not bad for a guy who is listed 2nd on the Rockets depth chart at Shooting Guard behind James Harden. Eric Gordon averaged 16.2 points per game this 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. For a team to really be successful, you really need a good bench and this guy can provide that in Houston.

KIA NBA Rookie of the Year: Malcolm Brogdon, Milwaukee Bucks
I guess the Bucks have something building on in Milwaukee, with Borgdon winning Rookie Of The Year and Antetokounmpo winning Most Improved. And Brogdon had a solid year. He was drafted 36th overall this year, which is the lowest draft place 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. Sure Dario Saric and Joel Embiid had the better statistics, but because the 76ers were as bad as they were and the fact that the Bucks made the playoffs and Brogdon had solid numbers, he was able to walk away with the award.

KIA NBA Most Valuable Player: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
This one should have been easy to pick. It would have been a real travesty had Westbrook failed to collect the award with the regular season that he had. 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. Oh and then there's also the fact that he had a triple double in a game 41 times this year. Sure James Harden and Kawhi Leonard had good years, but to do what Westbrook did and almost carry the Thunder to the playoffs by himself is very impressive and very deserving of winning the award this year.