As the NBA season draws to a close, players across the country are either planning their vacations or preparing for the grueling postseason. But before the winners are crowned and the appropriate hardware passed out, it's time first to acknowledge the great individual performances of the season.
MVP: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves. Since his arrival in the 1995-96 season, Garnett has struggled to reconcile his phenomenal talent with equally high expectations, while his T'Wolves have perpetually failed to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs. A perennial all-star known for his leadership on and off the court, KG's ability to assert control over a team that added allstars Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell catalyzed Garnett's MVP campaign and, consequently, his team's quest for the championship.
While both Tim Duncan of San Antonio and Jermaine O'Neal put up similar numbers -- all three average over 20 points, 10 rebounds -- Garnett's vocal leadership on the best team in the best conference tips the trophy in his favor.
Rookie of the Year: Carmelo or LeBron? LeBron or Carmelo? Not since the 1979-80 season which featured the debut of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird have two first-year players so dominated headlines throughout the season. The two rookies entered the year with unprecedented hype, media scrutiny and expectations; yet both delivered emphatically. Consequently, both get a share of the trophy.
Carmelo Anthony, drafted third overall by the Denver Nuggets, quickly took over as the predominant force in the locker room and on the court, leading the team in scoring. Moreover, he helped turn around a traditionally anemic franchise, as the Nuggets saw a 25-plus game improvement in the win column this season.
However, equally impressive was LeBron James, whose grandiose shoe contracts, nationally- televised high school games and position as the number one overall pick laid an immense amount of pressure on the broad shoulders of the 18-year-old. Despite the pressure of being branded by some as the "savior" of the league in the post-Jordan era, LeBron's season was a huge success, as he became only the second rookie in league history to average at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists, joining hall of famer Oscar Robertson in this exclusive club. Equally impressive, LeBron took a struggling franchise, much like his counterpart and friend Carmelo, and led the Cavaliers to a 20-plus game turn around, falling just short of a playoff berth.
Coach of the Year: Another tight race, though no tie this time. Memphis Grizzlies' coach Hubie Brown takes the award over the Utah Jazz's Jerry Sloan and Terry Porter of the Milwaukee Bucks.
While Sloan and Porter took over teams without discernable star power or any semblance of low-post game, Brown accomplished similar feats at the age of 70. With a mere 2854 record last year, Brown's instillation of a more disciplined style of play helped develop the skills of burgeoning stars Pau Gasol and Bonzi Wells while getting the most out of traditional role players like James Posey or volatile personalities such as point guard Jason Williams. The Grizzlies, one of the hottest teams in the second half of the season, will make their first appearance in the playoffs due in large part to Brown who hadn't coached an NBA team since the mid-80s.
Most Improved Player: Zach Randolph, Portland Trail Blazers. A huge improvement in both points (20.1 this season, compared to 8.4 last year) and rebounds (10.4, compared to 4.4) provides enough evidence to support Randolph's newfound status as the Western Conference's next great big man. Thanks to Randolph's consistent contributions and emergence as a viable low-post threat, the Blazers transformed from a team overwhelmed by turmoil to a legitimate playoff contender.
Sixth Man of the Year: Al Harrington, Indiana Pacers. Another tough decision, as Antwan Jamison of Dallas put up almost identical numbers to Harrington. Both scored about 14 points a game and pulled down around 6.5 rebounds. However, Harrington's importance on the Pacers far exceeded that of Jamison, who found himself surrounded by other offensive talents like Steve Nash, Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitzki. Harrington, by contrast, starred for an Indiana team devoid of scoring options beyond Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest. Thus, he edges out Jamison for the award.
Front Office Person: Isaiah Thomas, New York Knicks. While Joe Dumars of Detroit deserves accommodation for the acquisition of Rasheed Wallace, Thomas' trades for NY's prodigal basketball son, Stephon Marbury and versatile scorer Tim Thomas catapulted the Knicks from the bottom of the Eastern Conference into the playoffs. Add with that the controversial decision to fire coach Don Cheney in favor of halloffamer and formerly retired Lenny Wilkens, and Thomas made the necessary moves to propel the Knicks into the postseason.