Bucks guard Jrue Holiday is the recipient of the Joe Dumars Trophy, having been named the winner of the 2020/21 NBA Sportsmanship Award, the league announced today in a press release.
The award, which aims to honor the player who “best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court,” is voted on by current NBA players. Each team nominates one of its players, a panel of league executives pares the list down to six finalists (one from each division), and the players vote on those six finalists.
Holiday, who earned 130 of 343 first-place votes, beat out runner-up Kemba Walker (74 first-place votes) for the award. Bam Adebayo, Harrison Barnes, Derrick White, and Josh Okogie were the other finalists.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- While it’s unclear when the NBA might seriously pursue expansion, Las Vegas has frequently been cited as a city the league would consider, and a Yahoo News report suggests one potential ownership group may be in place in Vegas. As Kurt Helin of NBC Sports relays, billionaire Jay Bloom heads a series of investors who reportedly have the funds and the connections necessary to be the frontrunners to own a Vegas NBA franchise if the opportunity arises.
- Kevin Pangos, one of the top point guards in the EuroLeague, is drawing plenty of interest from European teams but may wait until NBA free agency to make a decision, says Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. There’s no indication that Pangos has an NBA offer awaiting him, but the former Gonzaga standout wants to consider all his options before making a decision.
- Hall-of-Fame guard Gary Payton, who has spoken in the past about wanting to coach in the NBA, tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated that he has agreed to a multiyear contract to coach Lincoln University in his hometown of Oakland, California.
- In the wake of teams like the Celtics, the Knicks, and especially the Lakers being eliminated from the postseason, Ethan Strauss of The Athletic explores just how dependent the NBA is on its marquee, big-market franchises, and what the league can do to reduce that dependence.
Big market
Heat and Knicks have a good chance to sign free agent Kawhi？
Lakers have a good chance to trade for a good player such as Walker or Lowry？
The Lakers aren’t in any position to add another good player to go with AD and LeBron. They’re not getting a quality return in any sign and trade with Schroeder. Their only valuable assets are those two star players and whatever future first rounders they can trade. They mortgaged their future for last year’s championship.
One old man + one injury man = 9th seed next year
1+1 = 9
Maybe. Finishing the season ahead of OKC, Sacramento, Minnesota, and New Orleans shouldn’t be too difficult. Then possibly beating out San Antonio and Golden State as well could get the Lakers as high as 9th place in 2022.
Some NBA team should give Pangos a chance, he’s a legit shooter and provide some playmaking
Do refs get to vote on the NBA Sportsmanship Award?