Maurice Stokes' brutal bad luck: Why is the NBA teammate prize called Twyman-Stokes award?
The NBA rewards its players and teams for their excellence on the court, etching their names in the league's history books. One of the most interesting awards given every year is the Twynman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award, which is awarded to the most outstanding teammate for the whole season.
Interestingly, the story behind the name of the award is very inspiring.
Back in 1955, Maurice Stokes entered the league with a bang. He started his rookie campaign by becoming the Rookie of the Year and was even named an All-Star for the Rochester/Cincinnati Royals (now known as the Sacramento Kings).
Stokes averaged 16.8 points and 16.3 rebounds in his first year and went on to be an All-Star for three straight seasons.
His career was cut short after he suffered a head injury from a fall while playing against the Minneapolis Lakers. The injury caused him to become paralyzed and even lose his ability to communicate. His teammate, Jack Twyman, stepped up and took on the responsibility of becoming Stokes' guardian and advocate.
Twyman was by Stokes' side until he died in 1970.
Due to this inspiring story, many players have had the privilege of receiving the award. In 2013, the NBA announced that the names of Twyman and Stokes would be included in the annual teammate award.
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Which notable NBA players have been awarded the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award?
The players who have won the award have been solidified in the NBA's history books. Some of them were standout stars, and others just illustrated what it means to be a teammate. Let's look at some of the most notable winners of this award.
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups won the first teammate of the year award in the 2012–13 season. Billups was humbled when he received the recognition from the league.
"I pride myself in being a good human being and a good teammate,” Billups said. “I think that there will be other recipients up here every single year that will be just as deserving as I am."
Dirk Nowitzki
Among all winners, Dirk Nowitzki is the only international player to have won the annual award. Back in the 2016–17 season, Nowitzki became the first international player to win the award, and no one outside of the United States has received the award.
Jrue Holiday
Jrue Holiday is a three-time winner of the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award. He first won back in the 2019–20 season and went back-to-back in the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons.
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