NBA Executive of the Year Award

A man, wearing a brown coat, white shirt and black tie, standing in front of a collage.
Red Auerbach won the award in 1980.
A man, wearing a black coat, white shirt and a tie, is posing for a photograph.
Jerry Colangelo won the award in 1976, 1981, 1989 and 1993.
head shot of Jerry West
Jerry West won the award in 1995 and 2004.
head shot of Bryan Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo's son Bryan Colangelo won the award in 2005 and 2007.

The National Basketball Association's Executive of the Year Award is an annual award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general managers. Unlike other National Basketball Association (NBA) awards, the Executive of the Year is presented annually by Sporting News, although it is officially recognized by the NBA.[1] Voting is conducted by executives from the league's 30 teams. The person with the most number of votes wins the award.[2]

Since its inception, the award has been given to 27 different general managers. Jerry Colangelo, the first general manager for the Phoenix Suns, is the only person to win the award four times. Bob Bass, Wayne Embry, Bob Ferry, Stan Kasten, Jerry Krause, Geoff Petrie, Jerry West as well as Jerry Colangelo's son Bryan Colangelo have all won the award twice.[3] All of the award winners were born in the United States. The most recent award winner is Denver Nuggets general manager Mark Warkentien.

Winners

^ Denotes executive who is still active
* Elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame
*^ Active executive who has been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame
Person (X) Denotes the number of times the executive has won the award
Season Executive Nationality Team
1972–73 Axelson, JoeJoe Axelson  United States Kansas City-Omaha Kings
1973–74 Donovan, EddieEddie Donovan  United States Buffalo Braves
1974–75 Vertlieb, DickDick Vertlieb  United States Golden State Warriors
1975–76 Colangelo, JerryJerry Colangelo*[a]  United States Phoenix Suns
1976–77 Patterson, RayRay Patterson  United States Houston Rockets
1977–78 Drossos, AngeloAngelo Drossos  United States San Antonio Spurs
1978–79 Ferry, BobBob Ferry  United States Washington Bullets
1979–80 Auerbach, RedRed Auerbach*[b]  United States Boston Celtics
1980–81 Colangelo, JerryJerry Colangelo*[a] (2)  United States Phoenix Suns
1981–82 Ferry, BobBob Ferry (2)  United States Washington Bullets
1982–83 Volchok, ZollieZollie Volchok  United States Seattle SuperSonics
1983–84 Layden, FrankFrank Layden  United States Utah Jazz
1984–85 Boryla, VinceVince Boryla  United States Denver Nuggets
1985–86 Kasten, StanStan Kasten  United States Atlanta Hawks
1986–87 Kasten, StanStan Kasten (2)  United States Atlanta Hawks
1987–88 Krause, JerryJerry Krause  United States Chicago Bulls
1988–89 Colangelo, JerryJerry Colangelo*[a] (3)  United States Phoenix Suns
1989–90 Bass, BobBob Bass  United States San Antonio Spurs
1990–91 Buckwalter, BuckyBucky Buckwalter  United States Portland Trail Blazers
1991–92 Embry, WayneWayne Embry*[a]  United States Cleveland Cavaliers
1992–93 Colangelo, JerryJerry Colangelo*[a] (4)  United States Phoenix Suns
1993–94 Whitsitt, BobBob Whitsitt  United States Seattle SuperSonics
1994–95 West, JerryJerry West*[c]  United States Los Angeles Lakers
1995–96 Krause, JerryJerry Krause (2)  United States Chicago Bulls
1996–97 Bass, BobBob Bass (2)  United States Charlotte Hornets
1997–98 Embry, WayneWayne Embry*[a] (2)  United States Cleveland Cavaliers
1998–99 Petrie, GeoffGeoff Petrie^  United States Sacramento Kings
1999–00 Gabriel, JohnJohn Gabriel  United States Orlando Magic
2000–01 Petrie, GeoffGeoff Petrie^ (2)  United States Sacramento Kings
2001–02 Thorn, RodRod Thorn  United States New Jersey Nets
2002–03 Dumars, JoeJoe Dumars*^[c]  United States Detroit Pistons
2003–04 West, JerryJerry West*[c] (2)  United States Memphis Grizzlies
2004–05 Colangelo, BryanBryan Colangelo^  United States Phoenix Suns
2005–06 Baylor, ElginElgin Baylor*[c]  United States Los Angeles Clippers
2006–07 Colangelo, BryanBryan Colangelo^ (2)  United States Toronto Raptors
2007–08 Ainge, DannyDanny Ainge^  United States Boston Celtics
2008–09 Warkentien, MarkMark Warkentien^  United States Denver Nuggets

Notes

  • a Wayne Embry and Jerry Colangelo were enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as contributors in 1999[4] and 2004.[5]
  • b Red Auerbach was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 1969.[6]
  • c Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Joe Dumars were enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as players in 1977,[7] 1980[8] and 2006.[9]

References

General
Specific
  1. "Reports: Baylor wins NBA executive of the year". ESPN.com. May 14, 2006. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2443842. Retrieved July 24, 2008. 
  2. "Celtics GM Ainge named NBA's executive of year". CBC Sports. May 14, 2008. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/story/2008/05/14/ainge-eoy-award.html. Retrieved July 24, 2008. 
  3. "Colangelo voted NBA's top exec for second time". ESPN.com. May 14, 2007. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2869882. Retrieved July 24, 2008. 
  4. "Wayne R. Embry". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-wayne-embry.html. Retrieved July 26, 2008. 
  5. "Jerry Colangelo". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-jerry-colangelo.html. Retrieved July 26, 2008. 
  6. "Arnold J. "Red" Auerbach". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-red-auerbach.html. Retrieved July 26, 2008. 
  7. "Elgin Baylor". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-elgin-baylor.html. Retrieved July 26, 2008. 
  8. "Jerry A. West". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-jerry-west.html. Retrieved July 26, 2008. 
  9. "Joe Dumars". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-joe-dumars.html. Retrieved July 26, 2008.