By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The NBA today announced the finalists for six awards that honor top performers from the 2018-19 regular season and four European players are among the contenders.
The Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a candidate both for the NBA Most Valuable Player and Defensive Players of the Year awards, Slovenian sensation Luka Doncic is the front runner for the rookie of the year award, French big man Rudy Gobert can repeat and win again the Defensive Players of the Year award and Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis is a candidate for the 6th Man Award.
The winners of these awards will be revealed at the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia on Monday, June 24 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT. The third annual NBA Awards will take place at Barker Hangar in Los Angeles.
The finalists for the six annual awards, based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, are below:
| Kia NBA Most Valuable Player
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks Paul George, Oklahoma City Thunder James Harden, Houston Rockets |
Kia NBA Rookie of the Year
Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks |
| Kia NBA Sixth Man Award
Montrezl Harrell, LA Clippers Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers Lou Williams, LA Clippers |
Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks Paul George, Oklahoma City Thunder Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz |
| Kia NBA Most Improved Player
De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings D’Angelo Russell, Brooklyn Nets Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors |
NBA Coach of the Year
Mike Budenholzer, Milwaukee Bucks Michael Malone, Denver Nuggets Doc Rivers, LA Clippers |
The 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia will also feature the announcement of the winners for the NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award, the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, the NBA Sportsmanship Award, the Seasonlong NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente, the NBA Hustle Award and the fan-voted House of Highlights Moment of the Year.
Complete voting results for each award will be posted on pr.nba.com the night of the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia.
In addition, basketball icons Magic Johnson and Larry Bird will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and broadcasting legend Robin Roberts will be honored with the Sager Strong Award.