The NBA announced this morning that they will host the first awards show on June 26th at Basketball City at Pier 36 in Manhattan. The program will be televised on TNT, per the Associated Press. Successful rapper, actor, and entertainer Drake will host and produce the show.
The NBA Awards Show was announced back in November, but the location was not revealed. Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man Award, Most Improved Player, and Coach of the Year will be announced during the show. The league also has new awards planned for this season that will be unveiled throughout the next few months. Previously, the award winners would be announced at separate times during the playoffs.
This is another way for the NBA to market itself, and it likely will work. All-Star weekend has already become a successful spectacle bringing in the ratings, though there appears to be some fatigue lately. It will be interesting to see how the event goes, as there will be numerous critics of the show.
This comes at a good time for the NBA. The MVP race in particular has been a hotly debated race, with Russell Westbrook and James Harden dueling all season. Kawhi Leonard has come on strong as well, leading the Spurs to the second seed in the Western Conference. LeBron James has garnered plenty of attention too, though he is in the conversation every season. The awards show will provide a great platform to display the NBA’s biggest stars and decide the MVP battle on a national stage.
