Once the regular season is over, it is time to take stock and assign the ‘Lba Awards’, i.e. the prizes for the best players and coaches in the Serie A championship. Reggio, as evidence of the excellent progress made, will have five candidates in as many categories. Galloway is in fact in the running for MVP, Faye (photo) for best ‘Under 22’, Smith as ‘sixth man’, Weber as ‘best defender’ and Priftis in the coach category. Until Sunday, fans will be able to express their preferences via the Lba website or app.
Next Tuesday the placings from 10th to 4th for the MVP award will be revealed and the names of the players who will make up the podium, indicated in random order, before the announcement scheduled for May 15th, the date on which the winners of all will also be revealed the other prizes.
Below are the candidates. Regular season MVP: Belinelli (Virtus), Bilan (Brescia), Galloway (Reggio), Mannion (Varese), Melli (Milan), Moore (Pistoia), Shengelia (Bologna), Shields (Milan), Tucker (Venice), Willis (Pistoia). Best Italian player of the regular season: Belinelli (Virtus), Della Valle (Brescia), Davide Denegri (Cremona), Mannion (Varese), Melli (Milan). Best young person (born from 1 January 2002 onwards): Casarin (Venice), Ellis (Trento), Faggian (Treviso), Faye (Reggio), Niang (Trento). Best defender of the regular season: Cordinier (Bologna), Melli (Milan), Pajola (Bologna), Petrucelli (Brescia), Weber (Reggio). Best sixth man (with at least 50% of games started from the bench): Diop (Sassari), Lundberg (Bologna), CJ Massinburg (Brescia), Smith (Reggio), Wiltjer (Venice).
‘Most improved player’ category compared to the 2022-23 season, with the candidate must be in at least his second consecutive season in Serie A: Abass (Bologna), Grazulis (Trento), Lundberg (Bologna), CJ Massinburg (Brescia), Totè (Carpegna Prosciutto Pesaro). Best coach: Banchi (Bologna), Brienza (Pistoia), Galbiati (Trento), Magro (Brescia) and Priftis Reggio).
Francesco Pioppi
