By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The NBA today announced the finalists for this season’s Kia Performance Awards. The six marquee awards that honor top performers for the 2022-23 regular season: Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Kia NBA Most Improved Player, Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year and Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year. Additionally, the NBA announced the three finalists for NBA Coach of the Year for 2022-23.
As expected the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Serb center Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, the only player out of the three who has not won yet the award are the finalists for the MVP trophy.
Finland’s pride Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz is among the candidates for the Most Improved player award and Italian-American Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic is a candidate for the rookie of the years award.
The three finalists for each annual award, based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, are listed in alphabetical order below.
2022-23 NBA Awards: Finalists
Kia NBA Most Valuable Player
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
- Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
- Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks
- Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Kia NBA Most Improved Player
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
Kia NBA Rookie of the Year
- Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
- Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz
- Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year
- Malcolm Brogdon, Boston Celtics
- Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks
- Immanuel Quickley, New York Knicks
Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year
- Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
- DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
- De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
NBA Coach of the Year
- Mike Brown, Sacramento Kings
- Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics