Name that trophy: The NBA needs an MVP makeover
Dirk's car-salesman look
There’s a debate going in Major League Baseball circles about re-naming the Cy Young award (best pitcher in each league) after Satchel Paige, the reasons for which you can read HERE.
Taking it to basketball, it’s time to look at some of the NBA’s trophies and consider re-naming them, or giving them a name in the first place. The Finals MVP just got the Bill Russell stamp this year, so that’s not going anywhere. And the Red Auerbach Coach of the Year trophy will never change, no matter how many rings Phil Jackson collects.
After that, though, you’ve got the Larry O’Brien championship trophy, the Maurice Podoloff regular-season MVP, and the Eddie Gottlieb Rookie of the Year. As far as I know, the Defensive Player of the Year doesn’t have a name, nor does the Sixth Man, Most Improved, or All-Star MVP trophy. Which ones could use an update?
MVP
Who was Maurice Podoloff? He was the first president of the NBA, serving from 1946 to 1963. He oversaw the introduction of the 24-second clock and the NBA draft, plus he negotiated the league’s first TV contract, and is generally credited with saving the NBA from folding back in its early years. Podoloff unquestionably deserves a nice, big section in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and the eternal respect and recognition of every basketball fan. At the same time, though, I think the MVP should always be named after a player, and there are only five candidates worth mentioning:
1. George Mikan’s prime was from ‘48-54. The MVP award didn’t exist until ‘56. The League’s first real star and the man who also deserves a lot of credit for helping keep the NBA afloat should have won four of five Podoloffs; instead he has zero. Honoring Mikan by naming the trophy after him could help make up for that.
2. Bob Petit was the first MVP in ‘56 and won it again three years later.
3-4-5. Wilt, Kareem and Jordan, for obvious reasons. (Magic and Larry are also quintessential MVP’s, but they’re linked too strongly to each other to where you just can’t pick one over the other.)
Although I love the idea of giving the nod to Mikan, I think it shouold go to Jordan. Trying to define what he’s meant to the game and to the NBA is almost impossible, but there aren’t too many honors higher to recognize MJ than naming the MVP after him. Get a new sculpture of Mike taking a fadeaway or soaring for a finger roll — or, hell, do a little version of the Jumpman/statue in Chicago — and guarantee dudes would run each other over trying to buy replicas.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Again, Eddie Gottlieb definitely meant a lot to the NBA as a coach/owner in the early years, but this also should be named after a player. And it has to be Chamberlain. Why? Because of 37 points and 27 rebounds, a.k.a. Wilt’s rookie-year averages. AVERAGES. Don’t even try looking for a better first-year performance, ’cause there isn’t one.
Here’s the modern-day version of Wilt’s story: Imagine if LeBron was in high school when the League imposed its age limit, so he finished his senior year (Wilt leaving Kansas early), went to join the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour for a year (Wilt signing with the Harlem Globetrotters), came to the NBA as soon as he was eligible and immediately became the highest-paid player in the League (like Wilt), then put up 40 points (League-high like Wilt), 15 boards (same) and 11 assists a night in Year One. You think he’s overhyped now? Sheeeeit. LeBron would have been knighted and won a Nobel Prize before the All-Star break. He would have supplanted Jesse Jackson as the Emperor of Black People. He would have caused ESPN’s headquarters to flood with saliva. He could’ve walked around Cleveland butt-naked and kicking housecats all day and nobody would have said a thing.
DEFENSIVE P.O.Y.
I like Mikan for this one. Although they didn’t keep track of blocked shots back in his day, I’m pretty sure he swatted a ton. (Mikan also grabbed 13-14 boards a night, and for some reason rebounding has always heavily factored into the DPOY criteria.) And you wanna talk about altering a team’s offense? Mikan had the whole League using the stall system. That’s shutting ‘em down without even trying.
I also wouldn’t have a problem with DPOY being named after Dikembe Mutombo or Artis Gilmore; but Mutombo should have some kind of community-service award named after him down the line, and Gilmore would come with the caveat that the trophy HAS to be re-done to reflect his Afro and sideburns. (And yes, I spent about two minutes trying to convince myself it would be OK to make an argument for Gary Payton.)
SIXTH MAN
Jon Havlicek, easy.
NBA CHAMPIONSHIP
This is a tough one. Unlike the awards reserved for players, the Larry O’Brien (NBA commish from ‘75-84) trophy really belongs to all kind of people in the organization, from ownership down to the office workers. So having it named after a non-player is OK with me, just like the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy. And in way, it’s bigger than any one player; naming it after Jordan or Kareem or Russell would be a discredit to the guys who played on their teams and had a role in getting those superstars those rings.
No need to re-name the Larry O’Brien right now. Because I’m thinking sometime in the next 10 to 20 years, it’ll be called the David Stern trophy anyway.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:10 am
Fab says:
Dude, you really got too much free time…
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:16 am
jzsmoove says:
Good and interesting column by AB, ruined by the last paragraph (punchline or sarcasm or both?).
I agree these trophies have to be re-named and I agree with the suggestions above.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:18 am
Celts Fan says:
It’ll never happen for the same reason he’s probably gonna get screwed out of being a HOFer (off court stuff over shadowing a phenomenal career,) but DPOY should be named after Rodman.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:21 am
s.bucketz says:
i would not want a david stern trophy..
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:22 am
YOUNGFED says:
I say we name the MVP award the YOUNGFED TROPHY, just an idea guys.
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:22 am
smoove chips says:
the the season needs to begin already.Withdrawal is kickin’ our collective butts.
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:25 am
dk says:
League MVP The D Wade or the Kobe Bryant Award.
Coach of the year should definetley be the Phil Jackson. ( naming it after a phithy mobster is disgusting )
6th man of the year – The Joe Crawford
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:26 am
dk says:
* filthy mobster, vile cheater
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:51 am
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Damn I was gonna right exactly what Celtsfan wrote. The Worm was the best DPOY/Rebounder ever.
MVP should be the Jordan
ROY the Stilt
6th man- The Tim Donnaghy trophy
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:59 am
Kudabeen says:
Love the Wilt mention and praise. You know I’m always putting him up. His rookie year typically goes unspoken as if it didn’t count, because Wilt is the only player in league history that skews the data. His stats are so off the wall. What other center has ever lead the league in assist, steals, rebounds, scoring, FG%, Minutes (48.5 FOR A SEASON) and if they did keep block stats you best believe he and Bill Russell would be all alone atop of the All-time list. It is conceivable that Wilt and Russell was averaging a triple double with blocks.
Just the greatest. 7-1 275 track and field star and power lifter would translate just as well these days with the training technology in place…People really just don’t understand. GOAT.
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:10 am
jdstorm says:
Coach of the Year
the Michael Jordan.
causes MJ needs more awards, and he is the perfect candidate.
coach who is supposedly good. but gets fired the next season
or perhaps,
the jerry Sloan
MVP.
The Steve Nash.
because its more about team record anyway.
DPOTY
The Tim Dohnoghy award, cause its all about stealing, getting to the block, then rebounding
Rookie Of The Year,
Allen Iverson.
Who needs to practice when you are that good already.
maybe have his crossover on the trophy
As for the championship. with all joking aside
The Jerry West
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:11 am
Big Sia says:
AUSTIN UR SICK DOG
WILT>
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:17 am
this is the best trick shot ever says:
it should be named after this kid
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/22/forward-flip-basketball-s_n_218799.html
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:19 am
karizmatic says:
The MVP should be the Jordan trophy
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:13 pm
NC says:
I’m totally ok with the selections, but here is what I’d choose:
MVP – Kareem
DPOY – Mutumbo or Wallace
6th – Schrempf or McHale
ROY – Wilt
David Stern should have the how to get ahead in advertising award named after him.
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Prof. TX says:
DPOY should have Olajuwon’s name on it. He holds the all-time record for blocks and is somewhere in the top ten for steals. He was even a great rebounder if you want to call that a defensive category too.
June 22nd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
JuiceMode says:
Makeover indeed. Some of the award and trophy names are f*cked up. They really should consider rearranging and renaming a few of them.
The ROY is named after a coach, the MVP trophy is named after a commissioner, the Finals MVP (which can be seen as a symbol of individual accomplishment) is named after the ultimate team player and leader. Even Russell himself said he found it a bit funny that an “individual” award was named after him because all he did when he played was emphasize teamwork and sacrifice individual accomplishments for the sake of winning.
With all due respect to the people who are named after the awards, and deservingly so. There are other and better ways to honor them. But it’s about time the NBA gives credit where credit is due. So it would be a good idea to name the award after the appropriate person, whether player, coach, executive, etc. and according to their contribution to the league.
ROY after Wilt, Sixth Man after Hondo, no contest.
Defensive POY has Bill Russell all over it, but he’s accomplished so much that it would be inappropriate to honor him with a “lesser” award. Mikan would do just fine.
And with so many great defensive players to honor, maybe they should individualize the All-Defensive Team honors, like the center would get the Mutombo Trophy, point guard will take the Gary Payton, and so on…
The NBA Championship will eventually be named, er, Commissioner’s Award/Trophy….?
June 22nd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
doc says:
I would give the Glove D player of year.
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Ian says:
name them all the wilt
June 23rd, 2009 at 3:46 am
kowtz says:
ROY – Wes Unsled Trophy…
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:02 am
Robert Dell says:
I suppose defender of year could be named after Gilmore, however, did you know incredibly he was on all defensive team only once in his entire NBA career? Fitting of course as he continues to be snubbed by the Hall of Fame. Curious how many of his contemporaries like Moses Malone and Jabbar always said Gilmore was the best defender (head to head stats tended to confirm this) and yet he was routinely overlooked for awards. The Hall is a farce until Gilmore enters with an acknowledgement that he is a first ballot HOF’er
Bob Dell
West hartford, CT
June 26th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
jayael says:
As much as I hate the Celts, the 6th Man award should be named for Frank Ramsey the first 6th man