NBA awards 2026: Complete list of winners for MVP, Most Improved, Sixth Man, Rookie of the Year and more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With the 2026 NBA playoffs underway, all the stars of the regular season will soon be recognized.
It's award season in the NBA, with the league releasing the winners of the MVP, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year and more throughout the third week of April.
While some races have been viewed as tighter than others — Victor Wembanyama secured the first-ever unanimous DPOY award for the San Antonio Spurs — the game's best players will soon be adding to their trophy cases.
Who won this year's NBA awards? Here is a running list of each 2026 award winner as they are revealed.
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The voting for this award is expected to be a toss-up, potentially the closest of any award. And while 76ers guard V.J. Edgecombe had a terrific rookie season (16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds per game), it's been anticipated as a race between two former Duke teammates.
Cooper Flagg's all-around impact shined for the Mavericks as a rookie, with the No. 1 pick averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. However, Kon Knueppel also provided elite scoring for the Hornets, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for a Play-In Tournament team.
For the first time in NBA history, the league had a unanimous selection for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Neither Ausar Thompson nor Chet Holmgren received a single first-place vote as finalists, with Victor Wembanyama securing his first DPOY after contending for the award in his first two NBA seasons.
Over 64 games this season, the 7-4 center averaging a league-high 3.1 blocks, his third consecutive season of at least three blocks per game, also with 1.0 steal per game. He led San Antonio to 62 wins and the NBA's third-best defensive rating.
At 22 years old, Wembanyama is the youngest player to win the award, and he's the Spurs' first DPOY since Kawhi Leonard in 2015-16.
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This year's candidates for Clutch Player of the Year include some of the best guards in the league.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is also in MVP contention, joins Anthony Edwards and Jamal Murray as the finalists for the award.
The Clutch Player of the Year winner is set to be announced by the NBA on Tuesday, Apr. 21.
The finalists for the 2025-26 Sixth Man of the Year award feature two key members of playoff teams and a young forward who emerged for the Miami Heat.
Tim Hardaway Jr. averaged 13.5 points per game off the bench for Denver this season, helping guide one of the NBA's best offenses, while Keldon Johnson helped lead the Spurs to 62 wins with 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game off the bench.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. was also named a candidate from the Heat after putting up a career-high 15.4 points per game.
The Sixth Man of the Year winner is set to be announced by the NBA on Wednesday, Apr. 22.