NEW YORK — The NBA announced the finalists for six awards that honor top performers for the 2020-21 regular season: NBA Coach of the Year, Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Kia NBA Most Improved Player, Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, Kia NBA Rookie of the Year and Kia NBA Sixth Man.

The three finalists for each annual award, based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, are listed in alphabetical order below ⬇️

Full release: https://t.co/zUhda0Q6ln pic.twitter.com/fiaUMeGE8C

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 20, 2021

The three finalists for each annual award, based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, are listed in alphabetical order below:

Kia NBA Most Valuable Player

WINNER: Nikola Jokic

• Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
• Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
• Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Kia NBA Rookie of the Year

WINNER: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets

• LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento Kings

Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year

WINNER: Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz

• Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
• Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
• Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers

Kia NBA Most Improved Player

WINNER: Julius Randle, New York Knicks

• Jerami Grant, Detroit Pistons
• Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
• Julius Randle, New York Knicks

Kia NBA Sixth Man

WINNER: Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz

• Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz
• Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz
• Derrick Rose, New York Knicks

NBA Coach of the Year

WINNER: Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks

• Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz
• Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks
• Monty Williams, Phoenix Suns

TNT has announced the winner of each award during its coverage of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.  Each voter’s complete ballot for each award will be posted at pr.nba.com after the announcement of all end-of-season awards.