The 2022-23 NBA season is winding down, and the postseason is right around the corner. After months of evidence about which players deserve which awards, it is time to grant the award leaders. Specifically, there are only a few players that have legitimate chances of winning valuable awards. We have collected a list of five players per individual award category as we currently stand on the first day of April. It is reasonable to say that all NBA fans have a pretty good idea as to which players are competing in the multiple award categories.
It is reasonable to say that all NBA fans have a pretty good idea as to which players are competing in the multiple award categories. But who are the current season’s top performers in terms of individual performances in terms of impact, and statistics? It is time to grant the award winners for the 2022-23 NBA season. Here are the current winners for the Coach of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and of course, the MVP award.
Coach Of The Year
Current Leaders For The Coach Of The Year Award:
1. Mike Brown
2. Joe Mazzulla
3. Mike Malone
4. Mike Budenholzer
5. Doc Rivers
Mike Brown has done a spectacular job this season with the Sacramento Kings, capturing the third seed in the Western Conference when everyone thought the team was a pushover. Domantas Sabonis deserves All-NBA Team consideration, and De’Aaron Fox is one of the candidates for Most Improved Player. The Kings are an elite offensive team, ranking 1st in PPG and 1st in offensive rating. Averaging 121 PPG, the Kings will be a tough team to handle in the playoffs, and Mike Brown should win Coach of the Year.
Joe Mazzulla has taken what Ime Udoka did last year and continued it, as the Boston Celtics still compete at a high level on both ends of the floor. Boston ranks 3rd in PPG, 6th in OPPG, 3rd in offensive rating, and 4th in defensive rating. No doubt, especially considering the 41-point beatdown they gave the Bucks on Thursday night, the Celtics are title favorites, and the coach is right behind Mike Brown in Coach of the Year rankings. Mike Malone, for similar reasons to Mazzulla in terms of making the Denver Nuggets a title contender, deserves his respect. Malone is coaching the best team in the West all year and has managed to help make Nikola Jokic a dominant force in the NBA.
Mike Budenholzer will always be in the Coach of the Year mix because he is coaching the best player in the world, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and a talented Milwaukee Bucks side that will be competing for the top seed in the East as they sit 55-22 ahead of the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. Budenholzer was on the hot seat in the 2021 season but has done a great job since winning the title that same year. Doc Rivers, for the fact that he has the Sixers clicking with Joel Embiid playing like a bona fide MVP and James Harden leading the league in APG, will receive consideration because he is proving why he has such a big name in the NBA.
Sixth Man Of The Year
Current Leaders For The Sixth Man Of The Year Award:
1. Immanuel Quickley
2. Malcolm Brogdon
3. Bobby Portis
4. Malik Monk
5. Russell Westbrook
Immanuel Quickley has amazingly gone ahead of the pack in the Sixth Man of the Year rankings. The 6’3” guard is full of energy and has been the most impactful player coming off the bench over the past few weeks. Quickley is posting 14.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 3.3 APG on 44.8% from the field, 36.0% from three, and 81.3% from the stripe. His play as a scorer off the bench has made the New York Knicks the 5th seed in the East at 44-33. So far, the Knicks guard deserves the Sixth Man of the Year trophy.
Malcolm Brogdon was one of the best signings in the preseason, and the Boston Celtics snatched him up because of his ability to shoot the ball, be a playmaker, and play defense. The 6’5” guard is a great shooter, as he has nailed 44.7% of his threes en route to averaging 14.6 PPG. Brogdon has been a key player for the Celtics all year, coming off the bench over the 63 games he has played. Bobby Portis, the talented defender who is posting 13.8 PPG and 9.5 RPG, has been an untouchable piece for the Milwaukee Bucks and is also in the race for Sixth Man of the Year.
Malik Monk was a key player for the Lakers last year and has done a great job for the third-seeded Sacramento Kings. Averaging 13.5 PPG and 3.9 APG, Monk has been an energizer bunny for the best offensive team in the NBA and deserves to be in the race for Sixth Man of the Year. Finally, even if Russell Westbrook has started the last 16 games with the Los Angeles Clippers, he deserves to be ranked at least 5th for putting up very solid numbers as a Sixth man with the Los Angeles Lakers over 52 games this season. The former MVP and triple-double maestro is having a pretty solid year by posting 15.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 7.5 APG on 43.3% shooting from the field, 30.1% from three, and 65.8% from the free-throw line.
Most Improved Player Of The Year
Current Leaders For The Most Improved Player Of The Year Award:
1. Lauri Markkanen
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
3. Jalen Brunson
4. Tyrese Haliburton
5. De’Aaron Fox
Nobody could have ever predicted that Lauri Markkanen would become this good on both ends of the floor. After getting traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Donovan Mitchell trade, Lauri has produced solid numbers across the board. The versatile forward is averaging 25.7 PPG and 8.6 RPG on 50.1% FG and 39.6% 3-PT FG. Markkanen seems to be able to occupy the small forward and power forward positions really well and has been the best player on the Utah Jazz all year. No surprise Markkanen made his first All-Star Team and is the frontrunner for the Most Improved Player because he took his scoring from 14.8 PPG to 25.7 PPG.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has always been a promising player, as a 6’6” guard with incredible scoring ability and athleticism, but he has reached another level this season. Gilgeous-Alexander is having an All-NBA-worthy year this season, posting 31.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 5.4 APG on 51.0% shooting from the field, 35.0% from three, and 90.4% from the free-throw line. The Oklahoma City Thunder star has proven to be one of the best players in the NBA right now and is hot on Markannen’s heels for the award.
The Dallas Mavericks surely miss Jalen Brunson now. The 6’1” point guard is posting 23.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 6.1 APG and was an All-Star snub this year. Brunson has helped make the New York Knicks relevant in the East, and his play alongside Julius Randle has made the team tough to beat. Tyrese Haliburton, the point guard averaging 20.7 PPG and 10.4 APG, has elevated his play and has proven to be a budding star for the Indiana Pacers.
Meanwhile, speedster De’Aaron Fox has been playing spectacular basketball and looks ready to take the jump to All-Star status, finally. The 24-year-old is averaging 25.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 6.1 APG on 51.5% FG, 33.4% 3-PT FG, and 77.3% FT. As the second-best player on the 3rd-seeded Kings behind Domantas Sabonis, the point guard’s ascension has been great and he deserved credit for that.
Defensive Player Of The Year
Current Leaders For The Defensive Player Of The Year Award:
1. Jaren Jackson Jr.
2. Brook Lopez
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
4. Bam Adebayo
5. Evan Mobley
Jaren Jackson Jr has been a monster on defense since coming back from his injury for the Memphis Grizzlies. The All-Star center is posting 17.9 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and a league-leading 3.1 BPG so far this season. The big man has improved offensively, but his defense has been key as he is a force in the paint. Opposing players are beginning to fear attacking the rim with Jackson Jr there, and that makes him the frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Brook Lopez has always been a unique big man because he used to be a solid low-post player early on in his career before becoming a shot-blocking, three-point specialist. Due to his dedication to changing his game to become a modern-day center, Lopez is posting 0.5 SPG and 2.5 BPG to fortify Milwaukee’s defense. His shot-blocking has been spectacular for the Milwaukee Bucks, who have the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the most versatile defender in the NBA, and that will always make him a contender for Defensive Player of the Year. The Greek Freak can shut down four positions and also has the length to handle most NBA centers as well. Giannis is posting MVP-caliber numbers on offense as usual, but he is also averaging 0.8 SPG and 0.8 BPG to showcase his defensive talents.
Bam Adebayo and Evan Mobley also deserve their flowers for helping their sides compete in the Eastern Conference. Adebayo is posting 9.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG, and 0.8 BPG for Miami and is one of the most versatile defenders as an undersized center at 6’9” and 255 lbs. Mobley will always be a threat on defense for standing 7’0” tall, as he is posting 1.5 BPG in his second season. Even at only 21 years old, Evan Mobley will finish among the top five in Defensive Player of the Year rankings.
Rookie Of The Year
Current Leaders For The Rookie Of The Year Award:
1. Paolo Banchero
2. Bennedict Mathurin
3. Jaden Ivey
4. Jalen Williams
5. Jabari Smith Jr.
In terms of the Rookie of the Year award, only one player truly stands out: Paolo Banchero. Paolo Banchero will almost certainly win the Rookie of the Year award after going No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft as he is averaging 19.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 3.7 APG. At 6’10” and a grown man’s body already, Banchero has done a great job being the best player for an NBA franchise already. Showing All-Star quality at times at 20 years old, Banchero should win Rookie of the Year, and the future for him is very bright.
Bennedict Mathurin is in the mix for Rookie of the Year by averaging 16.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.4 APG. Mathurin has been one of the biggest reasons the Indiana Pacers are looking for the future outside of Tyrese Haliburton playing like an All-Star. Mathurin was an excellent pick with the No. 6 overall pick, as he is showing he can be a sure-fire starter at only 20 years old. So far, only Banchero has been playing better among all rookies.
Jaden Ivey was an excellent pickup for the tanking Detroit Pistons team that had the No. 5 overall pick. A team that already has a talented guard in Cade Cunningham, the Pistons selected Ivey to bolster their depth. The 6’4” guard is posting 15.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 5.0 APG on 41.4% shooting from the field. A guard with excellent two-way potential, Ivey seems to be one of the biggest steals in the draft.
Jalen Williams and Jabari Smith Jr have improved as the season has passed, and both deserve to finish among the top five in Rookie of the Year voting. Williams is posting 14.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 3.3 APG and has made most of his opportunities by playing 71 games for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jabari Smith Jr has the most potential out of all the rookies to become a star one day, and he will need time to grow bigger and stronger, although his numbers have been solid this year at 12.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 1.3 APG.
Most Valuable Player
Current Leaders For The MVP Award:
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Joel Embiid
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
4. Jayson Tatum
5. Luka Doncic
As we have seen, the MVP award is a three-man race at this moment in time. Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets superstar, is at the helm. The superstar center might have been lucky to win it last year, but luck shouldn’t play a role this year. The Serbian is posting ridiculous numbers by coming close to a triple-double with 24.9 PPG, 11.9 RPG, and 9.9 APG on 63.4% FG, 39.0% 3-PT FG, and 82.3% FT. Jokic has led the Nuggets to the first seed in the West at 51-25 and will likely be the first player since Larry Bird to win three straight MVP awards.
In second place is Joel Embiid, the league’s leading scorer. The Cameroonian is posting superstar stats at 33.3 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 4.2 APG on 54.4% FG, 34.0% 3-PT FG, and 85.6% FT. Jokic has been the frontrunner all year long, but Embiid’s latest surge in recent months has been astronomical. Jokic might end up winning his third straight MVP trophy, although Embiid is right behind him for his dominance on both ends.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will always be a stalwart in the MVP race because his two-way dominance is irreplaceable for the Milwaukee Bucks. The Greek Freak already has two MVP awards to his name and will likely win a few more before his career is over. Giannis is posting 31.2 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 5.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, and 0.8 BPG through 60 games. The Bucks hold the first seed in the East thanks to Giannis’ talents, and the player is right behind Embiid and Jokic for the MVP award.
Jayson Tatum has bounced back from the 2022 Finals loss with a vengeance. The superstar forward is now one of the top five players in the world by posting 30.1 PPG, 8.9 RPG, and 4.7 APG on 46.2% FG, 34.4% 3-PT FG, and 85.4% FT. Whether it comes down to scoring from outside or attacking the rim, Tatum has mastered scoring the ball. His leadership has also improved because he is setting the tone for the Boston Celtics and has been all year long. Unfortunately, he will miss out on the MVP award because the three men ahead of him have been extremely dominant all season.
Maybe the Dallas Mavericks should have never traded their starting-caliber players for Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks have a 37-40 record, which isn’t great, but Luka Doncic is absolutely great. The Slovenian is terrorizing defenses with his inside and outside scoring game and is averaging 32.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 8.1 APG on 49.6% FG, 34.9% 3-PT FG, and 74.0% FT. The Slovenian can’t be happy with the way the team is playing, and although it is unfair to put the blame entirely on Kyrie Irving, the point guard’s acquisition has been the only major change from last year.
