Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen and guard Donovan Mitchell are picking up potential accolades as a result of the team’s banner season, with both under consideration for a pair of NBA awards.
Allen is among the finalists for the annual Sportsmanship Award, while Mitchell is up for Teammate of the Year.
The NBA announced the finalists Wednesday, revealing the six players vying for the Sportsmanship honor and the 12 players in contention for the Teammate award.
The Sportsmanship Award recognizes the player who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. Each of the NBA’s 30 teams nominated one player for the award, which was then narrowed down to six finalists by a panel of league executives. Players ultimately vote for the winner.
The award’s trophy is named in honor of Joe Dumars, the Hall of Fame guard who won the inaugural award during the 1995-96 season.
The finalists for the 2024-25 Sportsmanship Award are:
- Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers)
- Dorian Finney-Smith (Lakers)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Jrue Holiday (Celtics)
- Kyrie Irving (Mavericks)
- Franz Wagner (Magic)
Holiday, who previously won the award in 2021, is the only returning finalist. Last year’s recipient was Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers.
In addition to the Sportsmanship Award, the NBA unveiled its finalists for the 2024-25 Teammate of the Year Award. This honor is given to the player deemed the best teammate, based on qualities such as selfless play, leadership both on and off the court, and dedication to the team.
Similar to the Sportsmanship Award process, a panel of league executives selected 12 finalists (six from each conference), with current players casting the final vote for the winner.
Holiday, a three-time Teammate of the Year, is notably absent from the list of finalists this year, as is Timberwolves guard Mike Conley, a two-time winner and 2024 recipient. The 2024-25 Teammate of the Year finalists are:
- Steven Adams (Rockets)
- Nicolas Batum (Clippers)
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Stephen Curry (Warriors)
- Tobias Harris (Pistons)
- Al Horford (Celtics)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
- James Johnson (Pacers)
- DeAndre Jordan (Nuggets)
- Brook Lopez (Bucks)
- Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
- Jaylin Williams (Thunder)
The Cavs (60-15) host the Knicks on Wednesday before traveling to San Antonio to face the Spurs on Friday. They have a 93.7 percent chance of finishing with the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
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