The NBA has announced its finalists for end-of-season awards such as MVP (Most Valuable Player) and DPOY (Defensive Player Of The Year), among others.
Each finalist was confirmed on TNT’s Inside The NBA and announced by each of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal.
There was a hilarious moment when Barkley pronounced Atlanta Hawks rookie Zaccharie Risacher’s last name as “ricochet.”
Below is the list of finalists for the seven end-of-season individual awards.
Complete list of awards finalists for the 2024-25 NBA regular season ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/4bgbfQpohT
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 20, 2025
Most Valuable Player (Michael Jordan Trophy)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
The Canadian led the league in scoring with 32.7 points per game to go along with 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and a block in 76 games. The Thunder also finished a league-best 68-14, 16 games ahead of their closest Western foe.
Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Jokic became the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for the season. He put up 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists, and 1.8 steals in 70 games. The three-time MVP also shot 57.6 percent from the field including a career-best 41.7 percent from three-point range.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Antetokounmpo has had another spectacular season, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 blocks and just under a steal. He shot 60.1 percent from the field and played 67 games.
Defensive Player Of The Year (Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy)
Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks)
The ‘Great Barrier Thief’ hailing from Australia led the league in steals with exactly three per game. He has been a nightmare for opposing guards and no pass is safe around him.
Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
Green may not have the flashiest numbers but the appreciation for his defensive smarts and preventative work is deep. He is the linchpin of the Warriors defense and has looked even better paired with Jimmy Butler on that end of the floor.
Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Considered the favorite to win the award, Mobley’s length, mobility, and rim protection make him one of the most intimidating defenders in the league.
Most Improved Player (George Mikan Trophy)
Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)
The 23-year-old has had an outstanding season leading the Pistons back to the postseason after just 14 wins last season. He averaged 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 9.1 assists, and a steal in 70 games. He is expected to make an All-NBA team, but there is debate over whether a former No. 1 draft pick should be considered for this award.
Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks)
Along with the tremendous defense, Daniels more than doubled his scoring to average a career-high 14.1 points. He also added 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. He’s earned being in the mix for two NBA awards.
Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers)
Zubac has been a force all season, averaging 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds — both career-highs. He also contributed 1.1 blocks while shooting 62.8 percent from the field. Taking on a bigger role in the absence of Kawhi Leonard, Zubac has maintained his contributions with the team at full strength.
Sixth Man Of The Year (Jon Havlicek Trophy)
Malik Beasley (Detroit Pistons)
Beasley made the most threes ever by a bench player and finished second in total threes to only Anthony Edwards.
Ty Jerome (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Jerome averaged a career-high 12.5 points in 20 minutes per game and emerged as a vital piece off the bench for the 64-win Cavs.
Payton Pritchard (Boston Celtics)
Pritchard has been tremendous off the bench for the Celtics and has had put up some big numbers when Jaylen Brown or another starter has been missing.
NBA Clutch Trophy (Jerry West Trophy)
Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)
In one of the newer NBA awards categories, no one averaged more points in the clutch (5.6 points) than Brunson. He also shot 51.5 percent from the field and 84 percent from the free-throw line in these scenarios.
Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Edwards led the league in total points in clutch scenarios with 157. That’s one more point than Brunson and he played 25 more minutes to do it. If there’s a tie-breaker, Brunson finished a plus-22 in 135 clutch minutes while Edwards was a minus-51.
Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Jokic finished with 140 clutch points in 140 minutes. He shot 56.2 percent from the field including 42.9 percent from three. He was a plus-61 in these minutes.
Rookie Of The Year (Wilt Chamberlain Trophy)
Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
Castle emerged as a legitimate building block for the Spurs, averaging 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 81 games. He took on a bigger role quite effectively once Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox were both ruled out for the season.
Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks)
Risacher was quiet for chunks of the season but showed what he’s capable of when receiving big minutes. Behind Jalen Johnson and De’Andre Hunter in the rotation until injury and trade, Risacher averaged 14.9 points while shooting 50 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from three after the All-Star break.
Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)
Wells emerged as a reliable starter for the Grizzlies, averaging 10.4 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 35.2 percent from three and playing solid defense. He suffered a scary fall at the end of the season and suffered a broken wrist.
Coach Of The Year (Red Auerbach Trophy)
Kenny Atkinson (Cleveland Cavaliers)
The favorite for Coach of the Year, Atkinson led the Cavs to 64 wins and first place in the East. He overhauled the offense to make it the best in offensive rating and contend for several NBA awards.
J.B. Bickerstaff (Detroit Pistons)
Bickerstaff helped turn a 14-win team into a 44-win team that earned the sixth seed. The Pistons have become a hard-nosed defensive team under his tutelage.
Ime Udoka (Houston Rockets)
The Rockets surprised many by finishing with 52 wins and the second-best record in the West. Houston has become arguably the toughest defensive team in the league, playing an extremely physical brand of basketball .
