query: who won the nba mvp of the league

pos: NBA Most Valuable Player Award won the award: Wilt Chamberlain in the and Wes Unseld in the 1968–69 season. Hakeem Olajuwon of Nigeria, Tim Duncan of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Steve Nash of Canada and Dirk Nowitzki of Germany are the only MVP winners considered "international players" by the NBA. Stephen Curry in 2015–16 is the only player to have won the award unanimously. Shaquille O'Neal in 1999–2000 and LeBron James in 2012–13 are the only two players to have fallen one vote shy of a unanimous selection, both receiving 120 of 121 votes. Russell Westbrook, is the first to have played for a team

pos: NBA Finals by Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler, and Jason Kidd, won the series 4–2, with Nowitzki being named the Finals MVP. The Heat returned to the finals in the following year against an Oklahoma City Thunder team featuring future MVPs Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and 3-time NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant. After the Thunder won Game 1 at home, the Heat won four straight games to win the series 4–1, becoming the first team to win a championship after trailing in three playoff series. James won his first championship and was unanimously named NBA Finals MVP. The Heat repeated as

neg: NBA G League All-Star Game the time. The Blue Team won the 2008 game, while the Red Team won in 2009. Jeremy Richardson won the 2008 All-Star Game MVP award and two players, Blake Ahearn and Courtney Sims, were jointly named as the MVP of the 2009 game. In 2010, the players were divided into the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference after the league switched back into two conferences. The West won the game, led by Brian Butch who won the 2010 All-Star Game MVP award. In 2018, the NBA G League International Challenge replaced the traditional NBA G League All-Star Game. The International

neg: LeBron James 14 All-NBA teams, which is tied for the fourth-most in league history, and 12 All-NBA first teams, which is an NBA record. With four MVP awards, he is part of a select group of players who have won the award four times, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and Bill Russell; James and Russell are the only players to win four MVP awards in a five-year span. James has also won three Finals MVP Awards, which is tied for the second-most all-time, and earned All-Defensive honors every season from 2009 to 2014. While he has never won the Defensive

neg: NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award by forwards with six. Only one center has won, Courtney Sims in 2008–09. NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award The NBA Development League Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual NBA Development League (D-League) award given since the league's inaugural season to the best performing player of the regular season. The league's head coaches determine the award by voting and it is usually presented to the honoree during the D-League playoffs. No player has been named the MVP more than once, and no international player has won the award. Ansu Sesay was the inaugural winner while playing for the

neg: Chicago Bulls in league history and the best single-season record at that time, moving from 47–35 to 72–10, becoming the first NBA team to win 70 or more games. Jordan won his eighth scoring title, and Rodman his fifth straight rebounding title, while Kerr finished second in the league in three-point shooting percentage. Jordan garnered the elusive triple crown with the NBA MVP, NBA All-Star Game MVP, and NBA Finals MVP. Krause was named NBA Executive of the Year, Jackson Coach of the Year, and Kukoc the Sixth Man of the Year. Both Pippen and Jordan made the All-NBA First Team, and

neg: NBA G League the game's MVP. The second annual All-Star game was held on February 16, 2008, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The Blue team beat the Red team, 117–99, and Jeremy Richardson was named the MVP. In addition to the NBA D-League All-Star Game, the league debuted its first Dream Factory Friday Night events, which modeled after the NBA All-Star Saturday Night events. The events consists of Three-Point Shootout (won by Adam Harrington), Slam Dunk Contest (won by Brent Petway) and game of H-O-R-S-E (won by Lance Allred). The 2009 D-League All-Star game was held on February

neg: NBA G League Conference team defeated the Eastern Conference Team, 98–81. Bakersfield Jam center Brian Butch, who scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, was named as the MVP of the game. The NBA D-League also ran their third annual Dream Factory Friday Night events. The inaugural Shooting Stars Competition was won by a team of Pat Carroll, Trey Gilder and Carlos Powell. The Three-Point Shootout was won by Andre Ingram of the Utah Flash, and the Slam Dunk Contest was won by Dar Tucker of the Los Angeles D-Fenders. The league stages an annual NBA G League Showcase in which all of

neg: 2015 NBA Finals by 2014–15 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Stephen Curry, while the Cavaliers featured four-time league MVP LeBron James. Both teams entered the series with title droughts of four decades, with the Cavaliers having never won a title since their inception and the Warriors' last title having been in 1975. This was also the first time that both participating teams had first-year head coaches since the inaugural league finals in 1947, when the NBA was known as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). It was the fifth consecutive finals appearance for James who played for the Miami Heat the previous four

neg: 2012 NBA Summer League game can be viewed here The following is a list of teams that participated in the Las Vegas Summer League. The league leaders's stats include stats for Orlando and Las Vegas summer leagues. 2012 NBA Summer League The 2012 NBA Summer League was a pro basketball league run by the NBA just after the 2012 NBA Draft. It took place in Orlando, Florida from July 9 to 13 and in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 13 to 22, 2012. Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) and Josh Selby (Memphis Grizzlies) won the MVP honors. A list of players who participated can

neg: NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award The NBA Development League Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual NBA Development League (D-League) award given since the league's inaugural season to the best performing player of the regular season. The league's head coaches determine the award by voting and it is usually presented to the honoree during the D-League playoffs. No player has been named the MVP more than once, and no international player has won the award. Ansu Sesay was the inaugural winner while playing for the Greenville Groove. By position, guards have dominated the award with 11 winners, followed

neg: Paul Arizin played in a total of 10 NBA All-Star Games (he was the 1952 NBA All-Star Game MVP) and was named to the All-NBA First-Team in 1952, 1956, and 1957. After retiring from the NBA, Arizin played for three seasons with the Camden Bullets of the Eastern Professional Basketball League, who won the 1964 title. Averaging over 20 points per game each season, he was named the EBL MVP in 1963, was named to the EBL All-Star First Team in 1963 and 1964 and to the EBL All-Star Second Team in 1965. Arizin was named to the NBA 25th Anniversary Team

neg: Moses Malone Moses Malone Moses Eugene Malone (March 23, 1955 – September 13, 2015) was an American basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1974 through 1995. The center was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times and was a 12-time NBA All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA Team selection. Malone won his only NBA championship in 1983, when he was both the league and Finals MVP with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2001.

neg: 2012 NBA Summer League 2012 NBA Summer League The 2012 NBA Summer League was a pro basketball league run by the NBA just after the 2012 NBA Draft. It took place in Orlando, Florida from July 9 to 13 and in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 13 to 22, 2012. Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) and Josh Selby (Memphis Grizzlies) won the MVP honors. A list of players who participated can be viewed here The following is a list of teams that participated in the Orlando Summer League Boxscores and recaps of each game can be viewed here Box scores and recaps for each

neg: Center (basketball) and won two MVP Awards and led Houston to its first NBA Finals in 1981, before joining the Philadelphia 76ers, where, teamed with Julius Erving and Bobby Jones, he won an NBA Championship in 1983, as well as a third League MVP. Never a dominant defender, his quickness and tenacity made him one of the best rebounders in NBA history, particularly on the offensive end; he led the league in rebounds six times in a seven-year period and still holds the NBA record for offensive rebounds. In the mid-1980s, the 7'4" (2.23 m) Eaton was the most prolific shot-blocker in

neg: Franklin Session adult leagues around Los Angeles before eventually competing in the Drew League, a pro-am summer exhibition league that many NBA players compete in, using his knickname "Frank Nitty". Session was named the MVP of the Drew League in both 2016 and 2017. In 2018, Session gained significant attention for scoring 44 points on Chicago Bulls player Denzel Valentine and won his third straight MVP while his team, Birdie's Revenge, won the Drew League championship. After his successful performance in the Drew League, Session was signed by the South Bay Lakers of the NBA G League. Session played with the team

neg: 1984 NBA draft and honors. Barkley won the Most Valuable Player in 1993 and was selected to eleven All-NBA Teams, eleven All-Star Games, and was the MVP of the 1991 All Star Game. Stockton was selected to eleven All-NBA Teams, ten All-Star Games and five All-Defensive Teams before retiring as the all–time league leader in assists and steals and was co-MVP of the 1993 All Star Game along with his Utah Jazz teammate Karl Malone. Jordan, Barkley and Stockton would later play as teammates for the 1992 "Dream Team". Alvin Robertson, the seventh pick, is the only other player from this draft who

neg: Manu Ginóbili he holds dual citizenship, and won several individual and team honors. His stint with Italian club Kinder Bologna was particularly successful; he won two Italian League MVP awards, the EuroLeague Finals MVP and the 2001 EuroLeague championship and Triple Crown. Selected as the 57th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft, Ginóbili joined the Spurs in 2002, and soon became a key player for the team. In addition to his four NBA championships, Ginóbili was named an All-Star in 2005 and 2011, and has been selected twice for the All-NBA Team. In 2007–08, he was named the NBA Sixth Man

neg: Novica Veličković by any NBA team in an NBA Draft. In February 2009, he won the Serbian Cup in a 80–65 win over Crvena zvezda and he was the MVP of the competition. On 31 March 2009, Veličković scored a career-high 26 points against CSKA Moscow. On 18 April 2009, he helped his team with 17 points and 8 rebounds in a 63–49 win over Cibona to win the 2008–09 ABA League trophy. For his performances, he was named the Adriatic League Final Four MVP. In April 2009, he won the EuroLeague Rising Star award for the 2008–09 season. Partizan finished the

neg: 1982–83 Philadelphia 76ers season The 76ers went on to capture their second NBA championship as they swept the New York Knicks, and proceeded to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. They finally finished it off with a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, who had defeated them the season before, making this the only NBA championship not to be won by either the Lakers or the Boston Celtics from 1980–1988. Said head coach Billy Cunningham, ""The difference from last year was Moses."" Malone was named MVP of the 1983 Finals, as well as league MVP for the third time in his career.

neg: Wake Forest University alumni include Billy Packer, a guard on the 1962 Final Four team who became far more famous as a basketball broadcaster; Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues, the shortest player ever to play in the NBA; Randolph Childress, for his MVP performance in the 1995 ACC Tournament; Washington Wizards swingman Josh Howard; Miami Heat forward James Johnson; Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets, 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year Award,9-time NBA All-star; and two-time league MVP, Five-time NBA Champion and three-time NBA Finals MVP Tim Duncan, and Minnesota Timberwolves starting point guard and 2015 NBA all-star Jeff Teague. Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial

neg: 2016 NBA Summer League 2016 NBA Summer League The 2016 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League. Ten teams participated in the week-long Orlando Pro Summer League at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, from July 2 to 8, 2016. The Orlando Magic (White) won the Orlando Pro Summer League championship over the Detroit Pistons, 87–84 in overtime. Arinze Onuaku of Orlando Magic (White) was named the MVP. The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat also participated in the Las Vegas Summer League.

neg: Michael Jordan in NBA history, 72–10; this record was later surpassed by the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors. Jordan led the league in scoring with 30.4 ppg and won the league's regular season and All-Star Game MVP awards. In the playoffs, the Bulls lost only three games in four series (Miami Heat 3–0, New York Knicks 4–1, Orlando Magic 4–0). They defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 4–2 in the NBA Finals to win their fourth championship. Jordan was named Finals MVP for a record fourth time, surpassing Magic Johnson's three Finals MVP awards. He also achieved only the second sweep of the MVP Awards

neg: Bob Cousy center who could get easy rebounds, initiate fast breaks and close out games. Before the 1956–57 NBA season, Auerbach drafted two future Hall-of-Famers: forward Tom Heinsohn, and defensive center Bill Russell. Powered by these new players, the Celtics went 44–28 in the regular season, and Cousy averaged 20.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and a league-leading 7.5 assists, earning his first NBA Most Valuable Player Award; he also won his second NBA All-Star Game MVP award. The Celtics reached the 1957 NBA Finals, and powered by Cousy on offense and rugged center Russell on defense, they beat the Hawks 4–3, who were

neg: Michael Jordan fifth time in as many Finals appearances, Jordan received the Finals MVP award. During the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, Jordan posted the first triple double in All-Star Game history in a victorious effort; however, he did not receive the MVP award. Jordan and the Bulls compiled a 62–20 record in the 1997–98 season. Jordan led the league with 28.7 points per game, securing his fifth regular-season MVP award, plus honors for All-NBA First Team, First Defensive Team and the All-Star Game MVP. The Bulls won the Eastern Conference Championship for a third straight season, including surviving a seven-game series with

neg: 1983 NBA Finals a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, who had defeated them the season before. Said head coach Billy Cunningham, ""The difference from last year was Moses."" Malone was named MVP of the 1983 Finals, as well as league MVP for the third time in his career. The 76ers completed one of the most dominating playoff runs in league history with a 12–1 mark after league and NBA Finals MVP Moses promised ""Fo', fo', fo"" (as in ""four, four, four""—four wins to win round 1, four wins to win round 2, etc.), but it actually wound up as ""Fo', fi',

neg: 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season The 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season was the fourth season for the expansion Buffalo Braves franchise in the National Basketball Association and its Atlantic Division. It was the team's second season under head coach Jack Ramsay. The team's official home arena was Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Bob McAdoo, who finished second in the NBA MVP Award voting, led the league in scoring; Ernie DiGregorio, who won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, led the league in assists and free throw percentage, and every starter on the team was among the league's top ten in at least one

neg: NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award The National Basketball Association All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the player(s) voted best of the annual All-Star Game. The award was established in 1953 when NBA officials decided to designate an MVP for each year's game. The league also re-honored players from the previous two All-Star Games. Ed Macauley and Paul Arizin were selected as the 1951 and 1952 MVP winners respectively. The voting is conducted by a panel of media members, who cast their vote after the conclusion of the game.

neg: Sports in the United States Erving (won MVP awards in both the ABA and NBA), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6 time MVP), Magic Johnson (3 time MVP), Larry Bird (3 time MVP), Michael Jordan (6 time finals MVP), John Stockton (#1 in career assists and steals), Karl Malone (14 time all NBA team), Kobe Bryant (NBA's third all-time leading scorer), Tim Duncan (15-time NBA all-star), Shaquille O'Neal (3 time finals MVP) and Jason Kidd (#2 in career assists and steals). Notable players in the NBA today include LeBron James (4 MVP awards), Stephen Curry (2 time MVP), Dwyane Wade (10 time all-star), and Kevin Durant (MVP, 4

neg: History of the Miami Heat particular had a great season, leading the league in blocks and winning Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named as the Center for the All-NBA First Team (beating out Shaquille O'Neal) and was the runner-up for NBA Most Valuable Player, with Karl Malone winning the award. Had Mourning won MVP over Malone, he would have joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Miami would have a conference-best 33–17 record to claim their first-ever No. 1 seed in the NBA Playoffs. In the

neg: 1984 NBA draft Defensive Player of the Year Awards, twelve All-NBA Team selections, twelve All-Star Game selections and nine All-Defensive Team selections. Olajuwon retired as the all–time league leader in total blocked shots with 3,830 blocks. The third pick, Jordan, achieved even greater success than Olajuwon. He won six NBA championships, six Finals Most Valuable Player Awards, five Most Valuable Player Awards, one Defensive Player of the Year Award, eleven All-NBA Team selections, fourteen All-Star Game selections, three NBA All Star Game MVP Awards, and nine All-Defensive Team selections. Barkley and Stockton never won an NBA championship, but both players received numerous awards

neg: 1998 NBA Finals had won the award the last five times the Bulls won the Finals: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, and 1997). This would be his sixth NBA championship and sixth Finals MVP award in six full basketball seasons. Until 2014, it was the last consecutive Finals rematch between two teams. The 1998 Finals garnered the highest Nielsen TV ratings in NBA history at 18.7, and even surpassed the Nielsen ratings for the 1998 World Series, marking the first time the NBA had a higher rating in its championship round than of Major League Baseball's championship round. The 1998 NBA season documentary "Unforgettabulls"

neg: 1984 NBA Finals finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former. In the 1983–84 season, the Celtics won 62 games to lead the league. The Celtics were led by Bird, who won his first MVP award, and was complemented by 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell, first-time all-star and Sixth Man Award winner Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Gerald Henderson and Danny Ainge. Boston's most crucial addition was Dennis Johnson, whom they acquired from the Phoenix Suns in the offseason in hopes of addressing their porous backcourt defense. In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated The Lakers were coming off a four-game sweep by the

neg: 2009 NBA All-Star Game Night, the latter of which was modeled after the NBA All-Star Saturday Night, also took place during the All-Star Weekend. The D-League Dream Factory Friday Night was held on Friday and the D-League All-Star Game was held on Saturday. The Western Conference All-Star team defeated the Eastern Conference All-Star team 146–119. West's Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were named joint-winners of the game's MVP. In the Rookie Challenge, the Sophomores defeated the Rookies, with Sophomores' Kevin Durant named as the game MVP. In the All-Star Saturday Night events, Nate Robinson won his second Slam Dunk Contest while Daequan Cook and

neg: Dave Cowens while helping the Celtics to a league best 68-14 record. He was chosen the NBA MVP as well as MVP of the All-Star Game that same season. Cowens and fellow Celtic Bill Russell both have the distinction of being named MVP of the league but not being included on the All-NBA First Team. Cowens retired in 1980, however, in 1982 he was coaxed out of retirement by the Milwaukee Bucks, who were then coached by his former Celtics teammate Don Nelson. The Celtics still held his rights at the time so the Bucks gave up Quinn Buckner as compensation. Cowens

neg: Iowa Wolves named in the All-NBA D-League First Team while Energy first-round draftee Cartier Martin was named in the All-NBA D-League Third Team. Both Sims and Martin received call-ups to the NBA and were forced to miss the Energy's playoff games. The Energy were reassigned to the Eastern Conference for the 2009–10 season as the league realigned itself to two conferences. Despite losing former MVP Courtney Sims to overseas, the Energy improved their regular season record. They won the Eastern Conference with 37 wins, which was also the best record in the league. As one of the top three seeds, the Energy

neg: 2010 NBA All-Star Game the D-League All-Star Game was held on Saturday. The Eastern Conference All-Star team defeated the Western Conference All-Star team 141–139. The East's Dwyane Wade, who recorded 28 points on 75% shooting, 11 assists, 6 rebounds and 5 steals was named as the game's MVP. In the Rookie Challenge, the Rookies defeated the Sophomores for the first time since 2002, with Rookies' Tyreke Evans named as the game MVP. In the All-Star Saturday Night events, Nate Robinson won his third Slam Dunk Contest while Paul Pierce and Steve Nash won the Three-Point Shootout and Skills Challenge respectively. Team Texas, the home

neg: 2009–10 NBA season Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade being named the MVP. The game had record-breaking attendance, with 108,713. In the Rookie Challenge game, the Rookies defeated the Sophomores. Tyreke Evans was named the game's MVP. This is the first time the Rookies won the Rookie Challenge since 2002. During the NBA All-Star Weekend, Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks won the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest for the third time in his career; Kevin Durant, who also won the inaugural event, won this year's H.O.R.S.E Competition and Boston's Paul Pierce beat rookie Stephen Curry to win the Three-Point Shootout. Steve Nash won the

neg: NBA Finals in the 2007 NBA Finals. Duncan won the Finals MVP in 1999, 2003 and 2005. In 2007, Tony Parker was named MVP, becoming the first European-born player to win the award. From 2000 to 2002, the Lakers, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, won three straight NBA Championships. O'Neal won the finals MVP all three times. Their first championship came at the expense of the Indiana Pacers, whom the Lakers defeated in 6 games. During their 2001 postseason run, the Lakers swept their first 3 series and won the Finals in 5 games, finishing with an unprecedented 15–1 record,

neg: Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s, but lost each series to the Celtics, beginning their long and storied rivalry. In 1968, the Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Wilt Chamberlain, and won their sixth NBA title—and first in Los Angeles—in 1972, led by new head coach Bill Sharman. After the retirement of West and Chamberlain, the team acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who also won multiple MVP awards, but was unable to make the Finals in the late 1970s. The 1980s Lakers were nicknamed "Showtime" due to their fast break-offense led by Magic Johnson. The

neg: LeBron James Award in 2009 and 2010. However, after falling short of the championship expectations set by the media, fans, and himself, James departed Cleveland in 2010 as a free agent to sign with the Miami Heat. This move was announced in an ESPN special titled "The Decision", and is one of the most controversial free agent decisions in American sports history. In Miami, James won his first NBA championship in 2012, and followed that with another title a year later. He was named league MVP and NBA Finals MVP in both championship years. In 2014, James opted out of his contract

neg: 2010–11 NBA Development League season February 19. The Eastern Conference All-Stars defeated the Western Conference All-Stars 115–108, led by Iowa Energy center Courtney Sims. Sims scored a game-high 25 points and was named as the MVP of the game. This is the second All-Star MVP honors for Sims after being named as the co-MVP in the 2009 All-Star Game. The fourth annual NBA D-League Dream Factory Friday Night was held on February 18 during the 2011 NBA All-Star Weekend. The events included a slam dunk contest, a three-point shooting contest and a shooting stars competition, all of which are also annual competitions in the NBA

neg: DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell the Basketligaen and FIBA Europe Cup. He led the Bears to a Basketligaen championship in his first season, while being named the league's MVP and Finals MVP. In his second season with the Bears, he reached the semi-finals of the FIBA Europe Cup and won the Basketligaen championship. Akoon-Purcell was given the title of Fan Vote FIBA Europe Cup MVP, as he received 4,939 fan votes. He also was named the Guard of the Year of the competition. Akoon-Purcell joined the Denver Nuggets NBA Summer League roster ahead of the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 12.0 points, 2.0 rebounds,

neg: Rudy Fernández (basketball) of the Spanish ACB League. He also won numerous personal awards while playing with DKV Joventut, such as the 2004 Spanish King's Cup MVP, the 2006 FIBA EuroChallenge Final Four MVP, the EuroLeague 2006–07 season's Rising Star award, the 2008 Spanish King's Cup MVP, the 2008 EuroCup Finals MVP, and the 2007 Catalan Tournament Final MVP. He was also named the 2006 FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year. In July 2007, his contract with Joventut was extended through the year 2011, however his contract was bought out early in the year 2008 so that he could join the NBA.

neg: Walter Herrmann the 2014–15 season, he spent the 2015–16 season with the Argentine club San Lorenzo, with whom he won the Argentine League championship, and the Argentine League's Finals MVP award. He moved to the Argentine League club Obras Sanitarias, for the 2016–17 season. Herrmann moved to the Spanish ACB League club Baloncesto Fuenlabrada for the 2002–03 season. He was named the regular season ACB League MVP that year. He then moved the Spanish club Unicaja Málaga and he played there until the year 2006. Then he moved on to the NBA (National Basketball Association). He returned to the Spanish League in

neg: Kobe Bryant in NBA history, behind only Chamberlain's 100. He has scored at least 50 points 24 times in his career, which is third in league history behind Jordan (31) and Chamberlain (118); six times Bryant scored at least 60. He was just the third player in NBA history to average 40 points in a calendar month, which he has accomplished four times. Bryant was voted the league MVP in 2008 and led his team to the 2008 NBA Finals as the first seed in the Western Conference. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of

neg: Hakeem Olajuwon first professional sports championship to Houston since the Houston Oilers won the American Football League championship in 1961. Olajuwon dominated Ewing in their head–to–head match-up, outscoring him in every game of the series and averaging 26.9 points per game on 50% shooting, compared to Ewing's 18.9 and 36.3%. For his efforts Olajuwon was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Olajuwon was at the pinnacle of his career. In 1994, he became the only player in NBA history to win the MVP, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season. He was also the first foreign-born

neg: Bill Walton string of foot and ankle injuries that cut short his career. He nonetheless won the league MVP that season (1978) and the "Sporting News" NBA MVP, as well. He played in his only All-Star Game in 1978 and was named to both the NBA's First All-Defensive Team and the All-NBA First Team. Walton returned to action for the playoffs, but was reinjured in the second game of a series against the Seattle SuperSonics. Without Walton to lead them, Portland lost the series to Seattle in six games. As it turned out, Walton would never play for the Trail Blazers again.

neg: NBA G League All-Star Game Game. However, the next two games were played in two 20-minute halves, similar to a college basketball game and the NBA All-Star Rookie Challenge. The inaugural D-League All-Star Game was held in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend. The players are divided into the Eastern Division and the Western Division. The East won by 14 points and Pops Mensah-Bonsu was named as the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP). In the second and third All-Star Game, the players were divided into the Blue Team and the Red Team since there were three divisions in the D-League at

neg: 1952 NBA draft played six seasons in the NBA for the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks as well as 11 seasons in the Major League Baseball (MLB). He won three NBA championships with the Celtics as well as the 1957 World Series with the Milwaukee Braves, becoming the only athlete to win world championships in both basketball and baseball. Dick Groat from Duke was picked 3rd overall by the Fort Wayne Pistons and went on to win the National League 1960 MVP, and two World Series championships while playing shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates and then the St. Louis Cardinals. The

neg: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar he was stronger shooting the skyhook with his right hand than he was with his left. According to Abdul-Jabbar, he learned the move in fifth grade after practicing with the Mikan Drill and soon learned to value it, as it was "the only shot I could use that didn't get smashed back in my face". Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points and won a league-record six MVP awards. He earned six championship rings, two Finals MVP awards, fifteen NBA First or Second Teams, a record nineteen NBA All-Star call-ups and averaging 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6

neg: 2010 NBA Finals Spanish broadcasts. In Boston, WEEI carried the Celtics' English broadcasts with Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell announcing. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson earned his 11th title, further extending his record for most championships earned by either an NBA coach or any coach/manager in a major North American professional sports league. It was also his 13th title, as he had won two as a player with the Knicks in and . Bryant won his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP Award. He later said that this championship win was the "sweetest" because it was against the longtime, storied rivals and was the

neg: Magic Johnson NBA championship of his career. In the 1988–89 NBA season, Johnson's 22.5 points, 12.8 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game earned him his second MVP award, and the Lakers reached the 1989 NBA Finals, in which they again faced the Pistons. However, after Johnson went down with a hamstring injury in Game 2, the Lakers were no match for the Pistons, who swept them 4–0. Playing without Abdul-Jabbar for the first time, Johnson won his third MVP award after a strong 1989–90 NBA season in which he averaged 22.3 points, 11.5 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game. However, the Lakers

neg: Chris McNealy (basketball, born 1992) the 2014 NBA draft, McNealy was selected in Round 6 from Sioux Falls Skyforce with Pick 15 in the 2014 NBA Development League Draft. However, he was waived on November 13 from the Skyforce. For the 2015–16 season, McNealy joined Oberwart Gunners of the Austrian League. At the end of the season, McNealy won both the Austrian League and the Austrian Cup and was voted as the Austrian League Finals MVP. He renewed his contract for another season with the Gunners. On November 5, 2017, McNealy joined Panionios of the Greek Basket League, replacing Avry Holmes on the team's squad.

neg: NBA Finals Jordan's departure, the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, won the 1994 and 1995 NBA titles. During this time, Olajuwon became the only player in history to win the NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP awards in the same season. That was the only year that both the NBA and NHL Finals went to seven games, with the Rockets facing the New York Knicks in 1994. With their win in Game 7, the Rockets denied New York from winning both the NBA and NHL titles in the same year, as the New York Rangers won

neg: Los Angeles Lakers for longest winning streak of any team in American professional sports. The Lakers won 69 games that season, which stood as the NBA record for 24 years until the Chicago Bulls won 72 games in 1995–96. Chamberlain averaged a low 14.8 points but led the league in rebounding at 19.2 a game. West's 9.7 assists per game (apg) led the league, he also averaged more than 25 points, and was named MVP of the 1972 NBA All-Star Game. The team failed to score 100 points just once all year, and at the end of the season, Bill Sharman was named

neg: Chris Childs (basketball) Thunder. With the Thunder, Childs won a league title and the Continental Basketball Association MVP award in 1994 after averaging 17.9 points and 7.6 assists. According to Quad City Thunder owner Anne Potter DeLong's obituary on "QCOnline", Childs struggled with alcoholism during his time in the Continental Basketball Association. Childs went to DeLong for help at which point she called former NBA player George Gervin who facilitated Childs' admittance to a rehab facility in Houston, Texas. The clinic was run by retired NBA player John Lucas II. Childs' success in the minor leagues proved to be his ticket to the

neg: Sports in Philadelphia 1900. Note that the Philadelphia Field Club was actually four different franchises." Championships won by Philadelphia teams in the five major leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS): The following Philadelphia players won the regular season most valuable player award of the NFL (AP), MLB, NHL, NBA, or MLS. Note that MLB confers an MVP award to one player in the American League and one player in the National League. Philadelphia has hosted the following all-star games and drafts, including the first NFL Draft: Philadelphia has rivalries with three of the four other major cities in the "Northeast megalopolis", particularly New

neg: 1958–59 St. Louis Hawks season 1958–59 St. Louis Hawks season The 1958–59 St. Louis Hawks season was the franchise's 13th season in the NBA. Despite winning the NBA Championship, Alex Hannum was replaced as coach of the Hawks in 1958–59. The new coach was Andy Phillip, and he lasted 10 games before being replaced by Ed Macauley. The Hawks made player changes. Clyde Lovellette was brought in from the Cincinnati Royals. The Hawks won the Western Division with a record of 49 wins and 23 losses. Bob Pettit won his 2nd NBA MVP award as he led the league in scoring with 29.2 points per

neg: 1969 NBA Finals NBA history. This series is also notable in that West, with an average of nearly 38 points a game, won the Finals Most Valuable Player award, despite being on the losing team. This was the first year a Finals MVP award was given, and it remains the only time in NBA Finals history that the MVP was awarded to a player on the losing team. It also marks the first time ever in NBA Finals history that a Game 7 was won by the road team. The Los Angeles Lakers had won 55 games in the regular season (2nd best

neg: Moses Malone That year, Malone averaged 15.3 rebounds per game, which led the league for the third consecutive year, and also averaged 24.5 points, which was fifth-best in the NBA. He was an All-Star for the sixth consecutive season and earned first-team honors on both the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams. The 76ers lost only one game in the postseason as they won the league championship, defeating the Lakers in a 4–0 sweep in the 1983 NBA Finals. In 13 playoff games, Malone averaged 26.0 points with 15.8 rebounds. He was named the Finals MVP, having outrebounded Abdul-Jabbar 72–30 in the series. It

neg: Stephen Curry MVP by a unanimous vote and to lead the league in scoring while shooting above 50–40–90. That same year, the Warriors broke the record for the most wins in an NBA season en route to reaching the 2016 NBA Finals, which they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Curry helped the Warriors return to the NBA Finals in 2017 and 2018, where they won back-to-back titles. Curry is the son of former NBA player Dell Curry and older brother of current NBA player Seth Curry. He played college basketball for Davidson. There, he was twice named Southern Conference Player of the

neg: Henry Williams (basketball) but he never played in the NBA for the team. He spent the majority of his professional career in Europe. During his 10-year overseas career, Williams played for Italian teams Scaligera Verona, Treviso, and Roma, winning an Italian League championship in 1997, coached by Mike D'Antoni and posting a career scoring average in the Italian League, of 21.7 points per game. He was the Italian League MVP in 1996 and he won the 1998–99 FIBA Saporta Cup, being chosen as FIBA Saporta Cup Finals MVP. During his long italian stay, Williams was nicknamed "Hi-Fly" and "Sprite of Indianapolis" and became

neg: Houston Rockets who had been again chosen as MVP in 1981–82, the Rockets traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caldwell Jones, as a declining regional economy made the Rockets unable to pay Malone's salary. When the Rockets finished a league worst 14–68, Celtics coach Bill Fitch was hired to replace outgoing Del Harris, and the team won the first pick of the 1983 NBA draft, used to select Ralph Sampson from the University of Virginia. Sampson had good numbers and was awarded the NBA Rookie of the Year award, but the Rockets still finished last overall, again getting the top pick

neg: Dennis Johnson the team met the Bullets again in the 1979 NBA Finals. After losing Game 1, the Sonics won the next four games to take the finals series, helped by Johnson who averaged almost 23 points along with six rebounds and assists per game. He scored 32 points in a Game 4 overtime victory, and was named NBA Finals MVP. It was during this season that Johnson established himself as one of the best guards in the league; he averaged 15.9 points and 3.5 assists per game, and made his first All-Defensive First Team and All-Star Game appearance. During the following

neg: George Mikan points and a career-high 14.4 rebounds per game, the highest in the league, as well as 2.9 assists per game. In the 1953 NBA All-Star Game, Mikan was dominant again with 22 points and 16 rebounds, winning that game's MVP Award. The Lakers made the 1953 NBA Finals, and again defeated the Knicks 4–1. In the 1953–54 NBA season, the now 29-year-old Mikan slowly declined, averaging 18.1 points, 14.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Under his leadership, the Lakers won another NBA title in the 1954 NBA Finals, making it their third-straight championship and fifth in six years; the

neg: Wayne Brabender Brabender was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 14th round (145th overall) of the 1967 NBA Draft, though he never played in the NBA. Brabender came to Spain in order to gain experience, and he ended up contributing to four EuroLeague titles won by Real Madrid in 1968, 1974, 1978, and 1980. With Real Madrid, he also won 13 Spanish League championships, 7 Spanish Cups, and 4 Intercontinental Cups. Brabender played for the senior men's Spanish national basketball team, and he won the silver medal at the EuroBasket 1973, where he was also named the MVP of the tournament.

neg: 2016 NBA Summer League 16th places. "All times are in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4)" "Source:" "Reference:" The All-Summer League First and Second Teams were selected by a panel of media members in attendance at the Las Vegas NBA Summer League. All-NBA Summer League First Team All-NBA Summer League Second Team Championship Game MVP: Jerian Grant, Chicago Bulls 2016 NBA Summer League The 2016 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League. Ten teams participated in the week-long Orlando Pro Summer League at

neg: 2003 NBA draft 2003 draft is known for having one of the most talented draft pools in draft history. Four of the top five picks are NBA All-Stars and "Redeem Team" Olympic Gold Medalists: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James. Many players have been in the starting line-ups of their respective teams; nine have participated in an All-Star Game, Dwyane Wade was named NBA Finals MVP in 2006 and won the NBA All Star Game MVP in 2010. Luke Walton was a two-time NBA Champion in 2009 and 2010, Boris Diaw won the Most Improved Player Award in 2006, Jason

neg: 2015 NBA Summer League through 24th places based on the tiebreaker system stated above. Second-round losers played consolation games to determine ninth through 16th places. "Reference:" The All-Summer League First and Second Teams were selected by a panel of media members in attendance at the Las Vegas NBA Summer League. All-NBA Summer League First Team All-NBA Summer League Second Team Championship Game MVP: Jonathon Simmons, San Antonio Spurs 2015 NBA Summer League The 2015 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the NBA: the Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League. Ten teams participated

neg: IBM Award O’Neal, Karl Malone, and Hakeem Olajuwon also won NBA Most Valuable Player awards during their career; Robinson, O’Neal and Duncan won both awards in the same season. Jordan, Robinson, Olajuwon, Dennis Rodman and Dikembe Mutombo have won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award; Olajuwon is the only player to win both in the same season. Hill is the only winner of the IBM Award who did not win an NBA MVP or Defensive Player of the Year Award sometime in his career. O'Neal is the only player to win an IBM Award and an NBA title in the

neg: Nate Robinson the NBA Development League. On February 14, he made his debut in a 123–101 win over the Maine Red Claws, recording three points, three assists and three steals in 18 minutes off the bench. On April 3, 2017, Robinson signed with Guaros de Lara of the Venezuelan Liga Profesional de Baloncesto (LPB). In July, Robinson won the 2017 LPB championship with Guaros. Robinson was named the LPB Grand Final MVP. On July 31, 2018, Robinson signed with Homenetmen Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball League. Robinson's father, Jacque Robinson, played American football for the Huskies and earned MVP honors in both

neg: Alex Owumi Hampshire, the team was located very close to his parents' home. In his first preseason game on December 6, 2008, he put up 16 points and 7 rebounds to help the Millrats defeat the Quebec Kebs. After briefly considering a path into the NBA Development League, the minor league to the NBA, Owumi signed with the French club AL Roche-la-Molière of the Nationale Masculine 1 (NM1) for the 2009–10 season, encouraged to join by a salary increase. A member of the team's starting lineup, he averaged 17.2 points and 6.0 rebounds and won league MVP accolades—although his team finished with

neg: 2010 NBA All-Star Game and five-time NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning, served as coaches for the celebrity teams. Three former NBA players, Robert Horry, Rick Fox and Chris Mullin, along with Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, participated in the game. The West team won 41–37 over the East. "Special K" Daley, one of the four Harlem Globetrotters player that participated in the game, scored game-high 18 points for the West. Actor Michael Rapaport, who scored 4 points, was named as the Celebrity Game MVP for his defense on football player Terrell Owens, the MVP of the last two Celebrity

neg: Edwin Jackson (basketball) rebounds, and 1 steal per game. He was selected to the French League All-Star Game as a result of his performance. He returned to ASVEL in 2010. Jackson initially declared as an early-entry candidate for the 2010 NBA draft before withdrawing his name from consideration. He eventually went undrafted in the 2011 NBA draft, due to auto-eligibility at age 22. He won French Pro A MVP honors in 2013 and led the league in scoring, in the 2013–14 season (18.2 points per game). On 20 December 2014, Jackson moved to the Spanish League club FC Barcelona, where he signed for

neg: George Mikan 2.8 assists in 520 NBL, BAA and NBA games. As a testament to his fierce playing style, he also led the league three times in personal fouls. He won seven NBL, BAA, and NBA championships, an All-Star MVP trophy, and three scoring titles, and was a member of the first four NBA All-Star games and the first six All-BAA and All-NBA Teams. As well as being declared the greatest player of the first half of the century by The Associated Press, Mikan was on the Helms Athletic Foundation all-time All-American team, chosen in a 1952 poll, was inducted into the

neg: 1996 NBA draft won the lottery and obtained the first selection. The Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies were second and third respectively. Allen Iverson, a sophomore from Georgetown was selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. It is widely considered to be one of the deepest and most talented NBA drafts in history, with one-third of the first round picks later becoming NBA All-Stars. The draft class produced three players who won NBA MVP awards (Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash), seven other drafted players who became All-Stars (Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Ray Allen, Žydrūnas Ilgauskas, Stephon Marbury, Jermaine O'Neal, Peja Stojaković, Antoine Walker),

neg: 2014 NBA Summer League First Team: All-NBA Summer League Second Team: Championship Game MVP: Ray McCallum, Sacramento Kings 2014 NBA Summer League The 2014 NBA Summer League consists of two pro basketball leagues organized by the NBA and the Orlando Magic just after the 2014 NBA Draft. Ten teams took part in the week-long summer league at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, from July 5 to 11, 2014. The other summer league was the Las Vegas NBA Summer League, having taken place at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Paradise, Nevada (near Las Vegas) from July 11 to 21, 2014,

neg: Rick Barry game in the 1965–66 season. The following year, he won the 1967 NBA All-Star Game MVP award with a 38-point outburst and led the NBA in scoring with a 35.6 point per game average — which still ranks as the eighth- highest output in league annals. Teamed with star center Nate Thurmond in San Francisco, Barry helped take the Warriors to the 1967 NBA Finals, which they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in six games. Including a 55-point outburst in Game 3, Barry averaged 40.8 points per game in the series, an NBA Finals record that stood for three decades.

neg: Kay Felder of former NBA player Steve Smith. On December 3rd, 2018, he was arrested for choking a woman during a argument at dinner. Kay Felder Kahlil Ameer "Kay" Felder Jr. (born March 29, 1995) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League. Felder, a point guard, declared for the 2016 NBA draft at the conclusion of his junior year at Oakland. Felder is the Horizon League career assists leader. Felder attended Pershing High School in Detroit, Michigan where he was named Public School League MVP his senior season. His senior year,

neg: Kirk Penney the World Championships at Turkey in 2010. He became the second Kiwi in the NBA when he appeared briefly for the Miami Heat in 2003 and the Los Angeles Clippers in 2005, and went on to play professionally in Spain, the NBA Development League, Israel, Lithuania, Germany and Turkey. In 2007, he joined the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). In 2009, he was named the NBL MVP, and in 2011, he won his first championship with the Breakers. Born in the Auckland suburb of Milford, Penney attended Westlake Boys High School and played junior basketball

neg: 1964 NBA draft has been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and was also named in the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996. Reed, who spent all of his 10-year playing career with the Knicks, won the NBA championships twice in 1970 and 1973. In both NBA Finals, he was named as the Finals MVP. He also won the Most Valuable Player Award in 1970 and was selected to five All-NBA Teams and seven All-Star Games. He became a head coach after ending his playing career. He coached the Knicks

neg: 2004 NBA Finals guard Chauncey Billups was named as the NBA Finals MVP. The series was noted for the perceived underdog, the Pistons, dominating a Lakers team that had four future Hall of Famers. Pistons owner William Davidson became the first owner in sports history to win two championships in one year. Eight days earlier, the other team that Davidson owned, the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League, had won the Stanley Cup Finals in seven games over the Calgary Flames. The Lakers had won consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002, but lost to the eventual champions, the San Antonio Spurs

neg: Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award The Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in minor league baseball's Eastern League. In 1962, Jim Ray Hart won the first ever Eastern League MVP Award. First basemen, with 16 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen (8), second basemen (2), and shortstops (1). Five catchers have also won the award. Three players who won the award were pitchers. Twenty-one outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. Seven players from the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball

neg: California League Most Valuable Player Award teams that were unaffiliated with Major League Baseball organizations. California League Most Valuable Player Award The California League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in minor league baseball's California League. In 1941, John Jorgensen won the first ever California League MVP Award. First basemen, with 12 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by shortstops (6), third basemen (5), and second basemen (4). Eight catchers have also won the award. Seven players who won the award were pitchers. Twenty-six outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. Six

neg: Lakers–Pistons rivalry else wanted. Chauncey Billups, the Pistons' point guard, won the NBA Finals MVP Award. Billups became the first Finals MVP recipient since former Pistons star Joe Dumars to have won the award before making his first NBA All-Star team. Like Dumars, Billups would eventually go on to make multiple appearances in the NBA All-Star Game. The results in brackets concern the playoffs games. Lakers–Pistons rivalry The Lakers–Pistons rivalry is an American professional basketball rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons. This rivalry, which was showcased three times in the NBA Finals (1988, 1989, 2004), pitted the high-flying, All-Star

neg: KK Crvena zvezda accomplishments and records Finals MVP Top Scorer Coach of the Year MVP of the Month Ideal Five Supercup MVP YUBA League MVP YUBA League Most Improved Player YUBA League Young MVP Basketball League of Serbia MVP Basketball League of Serbia Finals MVP Radivoj Korać Cup MVP Radivoj Korać Cup Top Scorer List of the Crvena zvezda players who won a medal with their respective national team at the Summer Olympics, the FIBA Basketball World Cup and the FIBA EuroBasket. Summer Olympics World Cup EuroBasket The ABA League, commonly known as the Adriatic League, is a regional men's professional basketball league competition between men's

neg: Lakers–Pistons rivalry Finals. Meanwhile, Los Angeles suffered slight slippage in the regular season, finishing with a 57–25 record. However, the Lakers, who still finished first in the Western Conference, compiled an outstanding 11-0 record in the postseason, sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle SuperSonics, and Phoenix Suns en route to the finals. Magic Johnson also earned his second NBA MVP award (Johnson, who had already won the award in 1987, would receive his third NBA MVP title in 1990). As the finals began, L.A. was once again favored to eliminate Detroit and successfully three-peat as champions. However, the Pistons were determined to

neg: NBA All-Star Celebrity Game West Team with 11 points; teammate Kevin Hart, however, who scored five points, three rebounds, and one assist, was named Celebrity Game MVP for the second successive year. Hart became the second player to win the Most Valuable Player award twice joining Terrell Owens, who won it in 2008 and 2009. The 2014 Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was played on Friday, February 14, 2014 from the Sprint Arena at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game featured 18 players including comedian/actor and two-time Celebrity Game MVP Kevin Hart, Victoria's Secret model Erin

neg: Southern League Most Valuable Player Award Southern League Most Valuable Player Award The Southern League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in minor league baseball's Southern League. In 1972, Mike Reinbach won the first ever Southern League MVP Award. First basemen, with 12 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by third basemen (4) and second basemen and shortstops (2). Seven catchers have also won the award. One player who won the award was a designated hitter. Twenty outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. Eight players from the Columbus Astros/Mudcats/Carolina Mudcats have

neg: California League Most Valuable Player Award California League Most Valuable Player Award The California League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual award given to the best player in minor league baseball's California League. In 1941, John Jorgensen won the first ever California League MVP Award. First basemen, with 12 winners, have won the most among infielders, followed by shortstops (6), third basemen (5), and second basemen (4). Eight catchers have also won the award. Seven players who won the award were pitchers. Twenty-six outfielders have won the MVP Award, the most of any position. Six players played during seasons for which position information is

neg: Darrick Martin the Play-By-Play Voice of the UCLA Bruins on the UCLA Bruins IMG Sports network, replacing Tracy Murray. On June 22, 2016, Martin was named the head coach of the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League. When the team relocated to become the Stockton Kings, he was not retained. Darrick Martin Darrick David Martin (born March 6, 1971) is an American basketball coach, most recently head coach for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League. He played basketball for more than a decade, shuttling between the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), where he won the 2003 CBA Playoffs MVP, and

neg: 1976 ABA Playoffs playoffs. He won that distinction previously in 1974 and became the only player in ABA history to repeat as the MVP of the league playoffs. On April 28, 1976, the Kentucky Colonels lost the seventh game of their series with the Denver Nuggets. The loss marked the final game for the Colonels and the final game for any ABA team that did not proceed into the NBA with the ABA-NBA merger. The Nuggets and the Nets met in the championship series after posting the two best regular season records in the league. With their 4-3 loss in their opening round

neg: 1982–83 Philadelphia 76ers season The 76ers completed one of the most dominating playoff runs in league history with a 12-1 mark after league and NBA Finals MVP Moses promised ""Fo', fo', fo"" (as in ""four, four, four"" – four wins to win each playoff series), which they accomplished in 13 games. The 76ers were also led by Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, and Bobby Jones. The 1983 NBA Finals was the last to end before June 1. This championship is especially noted because it would be the last major sports championship for the city of Philadelphia until the Phillies won the 2008 World

neg: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar his first scoring title (31.7 ppg). He also led the league in total points, with 2,596. In the playoffs, the Bucks went 12–2 (including a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA Finals), and won the championship, while Alcindor was named Finals MVP. On May 1, 1971, the day after the Bucks won the NBA championship, he adopted the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (, "Karīm Abd al-Jabbār"), its translation roughly "generous/noble (Kareem), servant of (Abdul) the mighty/stern one (Jabbar) [i.e., of God]". He had converted to Islam while at UCLA. Abdul-Jabbar remained a dominant force for the Bucks.

neg: 1982 NBA Finals Lawrence Tanter). Both teams would meet in the Finals again in 1983. The Sixers, bolstered by the addition of league MVP Moses Malone, won 65 games, and steamrolled through the playoffs, in which they lost only once (completing Malone's famous "Fo, Fo, Fo" prediction, stating that the Sixers needed to win 4 games in each of the three series) en route to their third NBA title overall (they won in 1955 as the Syracuse Nationals, and in 1967). The Lakers finished the regular season with 58 wins, but were overmatched by the hungrier Sixers in the Finals. Then-rookie and future

neg: LaVar Ball his time out in Lithuania. Three days later, his youngest son was announced as a member of the Los Angeles Ballers. LiAngelo would also play with his younger brother on July 9, 2018, after being undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft and not participating properly in the 2018 NBA Summer League. During the inaugural All-Star Game on August 3, 2018, Ball coached the Western Conference's All-Star team, which included LiAngelo and LaMelo. The West team defeated East, 202–189, and LiAngelo won the won the All-Star Game MVP Award for the West. Many of Ball's decisions, primarily his comments in the

neg: Tyus Edney when he averaged 10.8 points per game, and had a total of 491 total. In the 1998–1999 season, Edney won the EuroLeague championship with the Lithuanian club Žalgiris Kaunas, earning the EuroLeague Final Four MVP award in the process. He then played in Italy, during the 1999–2000 season, with Benetton Treviso (losing in the Italian League finals, and winning the Italian Cup title). After that season, he spent the next season (2000–2001) playing in the NBA. Following his departure from the NBA, in 2001, Edney bounced around several European teams, including another stint with Benetton Treviso (2001–2004, where won the

neg: Bill Russell year, a streak unreached in any U.S. professional sports league. Russell later called the Celtics' defense the best of all time. Russell again excelled during the 1964–65 season. The Celtics won a league-record 62 games, and Russell averaged 14.1 points and 24.1 rebounds per game, winning his second consecutive rebounding title and his fifth MVP award. In the 1965 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics played the Eastern Division Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, who had recently traded for Wilt Chamberlain. Russell held Chamberlain to a pair of field goals in the first three quarters of Game 3. In Game 5, Russell

neg: Ruben Douglas at the University of New Mexico while playing with the New Mexico Lobos. He was also named the Mountain West Conference MVP. After going undrafted by any NBA teams, Douglas took his game overseas. He has played for Panionios of the Greek league (2003–04), Virtus Roma and Fortitudo Bologna (2004–05) of the Italian league, the latter with whom he won the Italian national championship, as well as Dynamo Moscow of the Russian league (2005–06), and Valencia of the Spanish league (2006–09). In 2010, he returned to Panionios. Douglas won the EuroCup championship in 2006 with Dynamo Moscow, and he was

neg: History of the Philadelphia 76ers reign as NBA champion had ended. The Finals were almost anticlimactic, with the Sixers ousting the Warriors in six games to give them their second NBA Championship. The 1966–67 Sixers were voted the best team in league history during the NBA's 35th anniversary celebration. In the 1967–68 season, with a new home court in the form of The Spectrum to defend their championship, the 76ers had the NBA's best record for the third consecutive season. Chamberlain won his third consecutive MVP award after leading the NBA in rebounds, assists, and field goal percentage. Greer and Chamberlain both averaged over 24