Today, Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy has been named the Rudy Tomjanovich Award winner by the Professional Basketball Writers Association. The Rudy Tomjanovich Award has been handed out by the PBWA since the 2010-11 season when then Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan won the award.
The following from PBWA.
Stan Van Gundy of the Detroit Pistons has won the 2016-17 Rudy Tomjanovich Award, which honors an NBA coach for his cooperation with the media and fans, as well as his excellence on the court, the Professional Basketball Writers Association announced today.
The award is named for Rudy Tomjanovich, a former Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers coach who always was professional and respectful while dealing with the media.
As for Van Gundy, his relationship with the media was a positive one all season long and it didn’t go unrecognized throughout the season.
Van Gundy led the Pistons to a 37-45 record in this third season as the team’s coach and president of basketball operations. While his team failed to reach the playoffs, the 57-year-old was a champion when dealing with the media. Van Gundy is generous with his time, is candid during his media sessions and speaks his mind.
Although the Pistons missed the playoffs, Stan Van Gundy can pride himself on handling the season well and being a gracious interview for the media for a full 82 games.
