NBA Executive of the Year Award

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 manager, president of basketball/business operations, or another high-ranking executive. Before 2009, the Executive of the Year was presented annually by Sporting News, but was officially recognized by the NBA.[1] Since 2009, the award has been awarded by the NBA.[2] Voting is conducted by executives from the league's 30 teams. The person with the most votes wins the award.[3]

Since its inception, the award has been given to 28 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, R. C. Buford, Wayne Embry, Bob Ferry, Stan Kasten, Jerry Krause, Bob Myers, Geoff Petrie, Jerry West, as well as Jerry Colangelo's son Bryan Colangelo have all won the award twice.[4] All of the award winners were born in the United States until then–Denver Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri, who was born in England, won the award in 2013. Larry Bird, Frank Layden and Pat Riley join Red Auerbach as the only recipients to have also received NBA Coach of the Year. Bird is also the only winner to receive the NBA Most Valuable Player in addition to either of the Coach or Executive of the Year awards.[5]

Winners

Jerry Colangelo won the award in 1976, 1981, 1989 and 1993, all with the Suns.
Red Auerbach won the award in 1980.
Jerry West won the award in 1995 with the Lakers and 2004 with the Grizzlies.
Jerry Colangelo's son, Bryan Colangelo, won the award in 2005 with the Suns and 2007 with the Raptors.
^Denotes executive who is still active in the NBA
*Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
*^Active executive who has been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame
BoldWinning executive's team won the NBA Finals the same season
Person (#)Denotes the number of times the executive has won the award
Team (#)Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won
SeasonExecutiveNationalityTeam
1972–73Joe Axelson  United StatesKansas City-Omaha Kings
1973–74Eddie Donovan  United StatesBuffalo Braves
1974–75Dick Vertlieb  United StatesGolden State Warriors
1975–76Jerry Colangelo*[a]  United StatesPhoenix Suns
1976–77Ray Patterson  United StatesHouston Rockets
1977–78Angelo Drossos  United StatesSan Antonio Spurs
1978–79Bob Ferry  United StatesWashington Bullets
1979–80Red Auerbach*[b]  United StatesBoston Celtics
1980–81Jerry Colangelo*[a] (2)  United StatesPhoenix Suns (2)
1981–82Bob Ferry (2)  United StatesWashington Bullets (2)
1982–83Zollie Volchok  United StatesSeattle SuperSonics
1983–84Frank Layden  United StatesUtah Jazz
1984–85Vince Boryla  United StatesDenver Nuggets
1985–86Stan Kasten  United StatesAtlanta Hawks
1986–87Stan Kasten (2)  United StatesAtlanta Hawks (2)
1987–88Jerry Krause*  United StatesChicago Bulls
1988–89Jerry Colangelo*[a] (3)  United StatesPhoenix Suns (3)
1989–90Bob Bass  United StatesSan Antonio Spurs (2)
1990–91Bucky Buckwalter  United StatesPortland Trail Blazers
1991–92Wayne Embry*[a]  United StatesCleveland Cavaliers
1992–93Jerry Colangelo*[a] (4)  United StatesPhoenix Suns (4)
1993–94Bob Whitsitt  United StatesSeattle SuperSonics (2)
1994–95Jerry West*[c]  United StatesLos Angeles Lakers
1995–96Jerry Krause* (2)  United StatesChicago Bulls (2)
1996–97Bob Bass (2)  United StatesCharlotte Hornets
1997–98Wayne Embry*[a] (2)  United StatesCleveland Cavaliers (2)
1998–99Geoff Petrie  United StatesSacramento Kings (2)
1999–00John Gabriel  United StatesOrlando Magic
2000–01Geoff Petrie (2)  United StatesSacramento Kings (3)
2001–02Rod Thorn*  United StatesNew Jersey Nets
2002–03Joe Dumars*[c]  United StatesDetroit Pistons
2003–04Jerry West*[c] (2)  United StatesMemphis Grizzlies
2004–05Bryan Colangelo  United StatesPhoenix Suns (5)
2005–06Elgin Baylor*[c]  United StatesLos Angeles Clippers (2)
2006–07Bryan Colangelo (2)  United StatesToronto Raptors
2007–08Danny Ainge  United StatesBoston Celtics (2)
2008–09Mark Warkentien  United StatesDenver Nuggets (2)
2009–10John Hammond^  United StatesMilwaukee Bucks
2010–11[d]Pat Riley*^[b]  United StatesMiami Heat
Gar Forman  United StatesChicago Bulls (3)
2011–12Larry Bird*[c]  United StatesIndiana Pacers
2012–13Masai Ujiri^  NigeriaDenver Nuggets (3)
2013–14R. C. Buford^  United StatesSan Antonio Spurs (3)
2014–15Bob Myers^  United StatesGolden State Warriors (2)
2015–16R. C. Buford^ (2)  United StatesSan Antonio Spurs (4)
2016–17Bob Myers^ (2)  United StatesGolden State Warriors (3)
2017–18Daryl Morey^  United StatesHouston Rockets (2)
2018–19Jon Horst^  United StatesMilwaukee Bucks (2)
2019–20Lawrence Frank^  United StatesLos Angeles Clippers (3)
2020–21James Jones^  United StatesPhoenix Suns (6)
2021–22Zach Kleiman^  United StatesMemphis Grizzlies (2)
2022–23Monte McNair^  United StatesSacramento Kings (4)

Multi-time winners

AwardsExecutiveTeam(s)Years
4Jerry ColangeloPhoenix Suns1976, 1981, 1989, 1993
2Bob Bass
Charlotte Hornets (1) / San Antonio Spurs (1)1997, 1990
R.C. BufordSan Antonio Spurs2016, 2014
Bryan ColangeloToronto Raptors (1) / Phoenix Suns (1)2007, 2005
Wayne EmbryCleveland Cavaliers1998, 1992
Bob FerryWashington Bullets1982, 1979
Stan KastenAtlanta Hawks1987, 1986
Jerry KrauseChicago Bulls1996, 1988
Bob MyersGolden State Warriors2017, 2015
Geoff PetrieSacramento Kings2001, 1999
Jerry WestMemphis Grizzlies (1) / Los Angeles Lakers (1)2004, 1995

Teams

AwardsTeamsYears
6Phoenix Suns1976, 1981, 1989, 1993, 2005, 2021
4San Antonio Spurs1978, 1990, 2014, 2016
Sacramento Kings / Kansas City-Omaha Kings1973, 1999, 2001, 2023
3Chicago Bulls1988, 1996, 2011
Denver Nuggets1985, 2009, 2013
Golden State Warriors1975, 2015, 2017
Los Angeles Clippers / Buffalo Braves1974, 2006, 2020
2Atlanta Hawks1986, 1987
Boston Celtics1980, 2008
Cleveland Cavaliers1992, 1998
Houston Rockets1977, 2018
Memphis Grizzlies2004, 2022
Milwaukee Bucks2010, 2019
Oklahoma City Thunder / Seattle SuperSonics1983, 1994
Washington Wizards / Washington Bullets1979, 1982
1Brooklyn Nets / New Jersey Nets2002
Charlotte Hornets1997
Detroit Pistons2003
Indiana Pacers2012
Los Angeles Lakers1995
Miami Heat2011
Orlando Magic2000
Portland Trail Blazers1991
Toronto Raptors2007
Utah Jazz1984
0Dallas MavericksNone
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers

See also

Notes

References

General
  • "NBA Awards — Executive of the Year". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2008.
Specific