The Grizzlies’ Mike Conley was named the winner of the 2015-16 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, the league announced Saturday. Conley also won the award, named the Joe Dumars Trophy, following the 2013-14 season. The NBA will make a $10,000 donation on behalf of Conley to his charity of choice, Methodist Healthcare Foundation with the money earmarked for the Methodist Sickle Cell Center.
The annual award reflects the ideals of sportsmanship - ethical behavior, fair play and integrity - in amateur and professional basketball.
The Hawks’ Kyle Korver finished second in voting and was one of six divisional winners, taking honors in the Southeast. Korver won the award last season.
Conley received 2,209 points, including 58 of the 327 first-place votes, in balloting done by NBA players. Korver received 2,155 points, including 54 first-place votes. The NBA will make a $5,000 donation to Helping Hand Rescue Mission on behalf of Korver.
Each team nominated one of its players for the award. The six finalists were awarded 11 points for each first-place vote, nine points for each second-place vote, seven points for each third-place vote, five points for each fourth-place vote, three points for each fifth-place vote and one point for each sixth-place vote.
The four other divisional winners, who will also have $5,000 donated to a charity of their choice were: t hRaptors’ Luis Scola (Atlantic), the Bulls’ Pau Gasol (Central), the Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard (Northwest, Self Enhancement Inc.) and the Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (Pacific, Boys & Girls Club of Oakland).
The six divisional winners from among 30 team nominees were selected by Mike Bantom, NBA Executive Vice President, Referee Operations; Kiki VanDeWeghe, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations; Roger Mason, NBPA Deputy Executive Director; and NBA Cares Ambassadors Jason Collins and Bob Lanier, a Hall of Fame center.
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