New York, NY (My Sportsbook) - Seattle SuperSonics guard Ray Allen was honored with the NBA's Sportsmanship Award for 2002-03, the NBA announced Tuesday. Originally presented following the 1995-96 season, the Joe Dumars Trophy honors a player who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. The trophy is named for the former Detroit Pistons guard and current Pistons GM. The Sportsmanship Award's first recipient, Dumars was named the NBA's Executive of the Year earlier this month. Allen was one of four finalists, including New York Knicks guard Allan Houston, New Orleans forward P.J. Brown, and Dallas Mavericks guard Michael Finley. A three-time All-Star, Allen joins Hersey Hawkins as the second Seattle player to win the Sportsmanship Award. In February, the Milwaukee Bucks traded Allen Kevin Ollie and Ronald Murray to the Sonics for Gary Payton and Desmond Mason. Allen received a total of 519 total points, including 38 first-place votes out of a possible 116 votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The NBA will donate $25,000 on behalf of Allen to the Ray of Hope Foundation, and another $10,000 each to the charities of choice for Houston, Brown and Finley. |
