NBA Awards Finalists Announced: Giannis, LeBron, Ja Morant, Anthony Davis Up For Hardware

The NBA announced the finalists for its six individual awards on Saturday including MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year Saturday afternoon.

Each award has six finalists. Voting for the awards was conducted prior to the start of bubble play, meaning only games played before the league’s COVID-19 hiatus on March 11 were considered.

The award nominees are as follows:

Kia NBA Most Valuable Player

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (29.7 ppg., 13.7 rpg., 5.8 apg., 1 bpg.)
• James Harden, Houston Rockets (34.3 ppg., 6.4 rpg., 7.5 apg., 1.8 spg.)
• LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers (25.3 ppg., 8 rpg., 10.3 apg.)

Kia NBA Rookie of the Year

• Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies (17.8 ppg., 3.7 rpg., 7.1 apg.)
• Kendrick Nunn, Miami Heat (15.2 ppg., 2.7 rpg., 3.3 apg.)
• Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans (22.4 ppg., 6.2 apg., 2.1 apg.)

Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (97.2 individual defensive rating, Milwaukee Bucks are 1st in NBA in total defensive rating at 102.1)
• Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers (26.4 ppg., 9.4 rpg., 3.2 apg., 1.4 spg., 2.3 bpg., 105.7 individual defensive rating, L.A. Lakers are 3rd in NBA in total defensive rating at 105.3)
• Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (15.1 ppg., 13.6 rpg., 1.5 apg., 0.8 spg., 1.5 bpg., 106.6 individual defensive rating, Utah Jazz are 10th in NBA in total defensive ranking at 108.9)

Kia NBA Sixth Man Award

• Montrezl Harrell, LA Clippers (18.6 ppg., 7.1 apg., 1.7 apg., 1.1 bpg.)
• Dennis Schröder, Oklahoma City Thunder (18.9 ppg., 3.7 rpg, 4 apg.)
• Lou Williams, LA Clippers (18.3 ppg., 3.1 rpg., 5.7 apg.)

Kia NBA Most Improved Player

• Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat (16.1 ppg., 10.4 rpg., 5.1 apg.)
• Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks (29 ppg., 9.4 rpg., 8.8 apg.)
• Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans (23.9 ppg., 6.1 rpg., 4.2 apg.)

NBA Coach of the Year

• Mike Budenholzer, Milwaukee Bucks
• Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Nick Nurse, Toronto Raptors

Voting was based on games played from the start of the regular season through March 11.

TNT will announce the award winners during its coverage of the season restart.