Photo by Kylie O Sullivan / Unsplash
By Charles Collier
This is my list of the NBA midseason 2024-2025 awards
COACH OF THE YEAR– Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers/Head Coach, started the 2024-2025 season with a franchise record 15 straight wins. The Cavs first loss was on November 19, 2024, against the Boston Celtics. Atkinson is the ultimate player’s coach, and he has his team playing inspiring basketball. The Cavs record is 48-10, and they have the best record in the National Basketball Association.
RUNNER-UP Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics/Head Coach, is the youngest head coach to win an NBA Championship since the great Bill Russell in 1968. Under Mazzulla’s tutelage, the Boston Celtics have an excellent chance to win back-to-back titles. The Celtics’ current record is 38-16, and they are currently second in the NBA East.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player on one of the best teams. He is averaging 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. He is shooting 52% from the field. SGA is the main reason oddsmakers are giving the Thunder the second-best odds to win this year’s NBA Championship. The Thunder are 47-11 and have the best record in the NBA West.
RUNNER-UP– Giannis Antetokounmpo, when healthy, is the best two-way player in the Association. He is one of the most athletic players in league history. His combination of leaping ability, strength, and tenacity makes him impossible to stop. The Bucks are currently eight games over .500 at 32-24. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are a team nobody wants to face in the playoffs.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER– Anthony Edwards has grown up right before our eyes and is 2ND to Giannis as the best all-around player in the Association today. Edwards has improved his defensive skills, mid-range shooting, and three-point shooting. No lead is insurmountable when you have Edwards on your team.
RUNNER-UP- Cade Cunningham is averaging 25.7 points, 9.5 assists, and 6.3 rebounds and shooting 46.1% from the field. Cunningham’s consistent play is one of the main reasons the Pistons are on an eight-game winning streak and are a force to be reckoned with in the NBA East.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR– Victor Wembanyama leads the NBA, averaging 3.8 blocks per game for the San Antonio Spurs. Players rarely challenge the 21-year-old French phenom at the basket.
RUNNER-UP– Brook Lopez, the 36-year-old center of the Milwaukee Bucks, is underrated as a defensive player. He averages 2.0 blocks per game, but he alters many more shots in a game. Lopez anchors the low post defense, and he is one of the players responsible for the Bucks’ defensive improvement this year.