WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook was named the 2016-17 Most Valuable Player on Monday at the NBA's inaugural awards show.
"Everybody in Oklahoma City that let me go out and compete at a high level every night," Westbrook said.
Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game, becoming the first player since Robertson to average a triple double for a season. He also set the mark for most triple doubles in an NBA season (42), breaking a record Robertson set 55 years ago.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon won the Rookie of the Year award. Brogdon averaged 10.2 points, 4.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals last season. He shot 45.7% from the field and 40.4% on threes, which was No. 1 among rookies who attempted at least 190 threes.
Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni was named Coach of the Year. D'Antoni, coaching his first season in Houston, took the Rockets from a boring 41-win team to an exciting 55-win team. It's D' Antoni's second Coach of the Year award. He also won one in 2005 with the Phoenix Suns.
Eric Gordon, who also came from the Rockets, took home 2016-17 Sixth Man of the Year honors. Over the course of 75 games, Gordon, in his first year with the Rockets, averaged 16.2 points on 40.6 percent shooting from the field and 37.2 percent shooting from three. Enditem
