NBA Awards Show thoughts
Admittedly when reports came out that the National Basketball Association (NBA) would have its annual awarding of outstanding individual performances for the season via a television special, I was not really sold it. Maybe it was the old school fan in me that I would rather see the awards handed down where the action happens — on the court or on the home turf of the winning player — and not by way of a glitzy awards show.
And so the first- ever NBA Awards Show took place at the Basketball City at Pier 36 in New York City yesterday with the winners and stars descending.
The ceremonies officially dropped the curtains on what was an eventful 20162017 NBA season.
The winners’ circle has Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder winning most valuable player, Draymond Green of the world champions Golden State Warriors (Defensive Player of the Year), Mike D’Antoni of the Houston Rockets (Coach of the Year), Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks (Most Improved Player), Eric Gordon of the Rockets (Sixth Man of the Year) and Malcolm Brogdon of the Bucks (Rookie of the Year).
Just to segue a bit, save for Westbrook, all of my chosen award winners posted in an earlier piece all went on to win. For MVP, I had the Rockets’ James Harden winning for how he defied my expectations of him.
Special awards were given to Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks for Teammate of the Year Award, Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell for the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets for Sportsman of the Year.
Fan awards were also handed for Assist of the Year (Stephen Curry), Block of the Year (Kawhi Leonard), Dunk of the Year ( Victor Oladipo), Performance of the Year (Klay Thompson), and Game Winner of the Year ( Westbrook).
As expected, it took a while for me to really warm up to the show.
Rapper Drake was fine as host and during the video bits he did throughout the show and performer Nicki Minaj was Nicki Minaj on stage, but I just was not into it early for the “newness” of the whole proceedings from my end.
Good thing the crew of Inside the NBA of Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley was part of the whole show, adding some familiarity into it with their banter, comedic or otherwise, and making the show less alien for fans and observers like me.
Standout moment for this space was the first Sager Strong Award, in honor of sports reporter Craig Sager who died last December of leukemia. He was part for a long time of TNT which covers the NBA.
The first recipient of the award was Monty Williams, former NBA player and coach, whose wife died last year in an automobile accident.
The Sager Strong Award could not have gone to a more deserving recipient than Williams who has shown tremendous strength in character and mind amid all the things that had happen.
He has taken everything in perspective, guided by prayers, and he has shown incredible understanding and empathy even to the family of the woman who caused the accident that led to the death of his wife.
Another memorable bit, albeit on a lighter side, was NBA legend Russell talking trash in the faces of big men legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson and Dikembe Mutombo, pointing at them and telling them: “I will kick your ass.”
It drew much laughter after from the legends and people in the crowd, but, hey, 11 NBA titles for Russell as player, top that.
All and all, the first-ever NBA Awards Show had its moments from my end but I would not say I am completely high on it just yet.
As Barkley jokingly said in the show, “You need 20 minutes before giving an award?” Old-school NBA, represent!
Just the same, it is only the first year for the NBA Awards Show. And who knows, maybe it will eventually grow on me. Congratulations to the winners.