Houston's Brooks takes home award for most improved

NEW YORK -- Aaron Brooks of the Houston Rockets is the winner of the 2009-10 NBA Most Improved Player Award presented by Kia Motors, the NBA announced Thursday. The annual award is presented to a player who has made a significant improvement from the previous season.

Brooks received 403 of a possible 615 points, including 62 first-place votes, from a panel of 123 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder (17 first-place votes) and George Hill of the San Antonio Spurs (seven first-place votes) tied for second with 101 points. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third place vote received.

This season Brooks set career highs in points (19.6 points per game), assists (5.3 apg) and rebounds (2.6 rpg). His 8.4 ppg scoring increase from last season (11.2 ppg) was the highest in the league among minimum qualifiers. Brooks became only the sixth player in NBA history to make at least 200 3-pointers and dish out at least 400 assists in the same season. He set the Rockets' single-season record for 3-pointers made with 209. The 6-foot guard scored 20 or more points 39 times and at least 30 points on 10 occasions. This marks the second time that a former NBA Development League player (Bobby Simmons, 2005) has been a recipient of an NBA Annual Award. Brooks played for Rio Grande Valley Vipers during his rookie season.

As part of its support of the Most Improved Player Award, Kia Motors America will donate a 2011 Kia Sorento CUV on behalf of Brooks to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. Kia Motors will present a brand new Sorento, the Official Vehicle of the NBA, to the charity of choice of each of four 2009-10 season-end award winners as part of the "The NBA Performance Awards Presented by Kia Motors." Following this season, Kia Motors will have donated a total of 12 new vehicles to charity since the program began in 2008.

The 2009-10 NBA Most Improved Player Award presented by Kia Motors is part of a series of on-court performance awards called "The NBA Performance Awards Presented by Kia Motors." The series, currently in its third season, is a significant part of the multiyear marketing partnership between Kia Motors America and the NBA, and also includes the Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man and Most Valuable Player of the Year Awards. It also includes the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month presented by Kia Motors, which are awarded during the regular season. For more information on the "The NBA Performance Awards Presented by Kia Motors" visit www.NBA.com/awards.