2026 NBA Awards Finalists To Be Announced Sunday Evening
Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is among the players who will feature prominently in tonight's announcement.
www.hoopsrumors.comThe latest reporting says the NBA has already started its 2025-26 awards rollout, with finalists revealed on April 19 and the first winners announced beginning April 20. The current known schedule runs through April 24 for DPOY, Clutch Player, Sixth Man, Sportsmanship, and Most Improved Player, while MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year do not yet have firm dates.[1][3]
Known announcement dates
- Defensive Player of the Year: April 20, 6 p.m. ET — Victor Wembanyama.[1]
- Clutch Player of the Year: April 21, 6 p.m. ET.[1]
- Sixth Man of the Year: April 22, 6 p.m. ET.[1]
- Sportsmanship Award: April 23, 12 p.m. ET.[1]
- Most Improved Player: April 24, 6:30 p.m. ET.[1]
Still pending
- MVP: no exact date announced yet, but reports expect it later in the playoffs, likely around the usual late-May window.[7][1]
- Rookie of the Year: no exact date yet, but likely within the next couple of weeks.[1]
- Coach of the Year: no exact date yet, with a similar late-April to early-May timing expected.[1]
What changed
The league also revealed the finalists for seven major regular-season awards on April 19 at 6 p.m. ET on NBC, which kicked off the announcement sequence. Coverage notes that the winners of the remaining awards will be revealed during the playoffs over roughly the next month.[3][8]