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Monthly NBA awards: Jalen Brunson, Victor Wembanyama win honors for March

See the Players, Rookies and Coaches of the Month for games played in March.

From NBA.com Staff

Knicks star Jalen Brunson earns East Player of the Month, while Spurs star Victor Wembanyama wins West Rookie of the Month.

Players of the Month

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson have been named the Kia NBA Players of the Month for March.

Western Conference: Doncic led the Mavs to an 11-4 record in March while averaging a 30-point triple-double (32.5 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 10.1 apg). It marked the second time in his career that he averaged a 30-point triple-double during any calendar month. Oscar Robertson (5 times) and Russell Westbrook (twice) are the only other players in NBA history to average a 30-point triple-double in a month. 

Doncic becomes the first player in franchise history to earn the monthly award in consecutive months and joins Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki as the only Mavericks to receive the honor twice in the same season.

Eastern Conference: Brunson led New York to a 9-5 mark in March while averaging 28.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. The superstar guard put up a career-high 61 points in a 130-126 overtime loss to San Antonio on March 29, just one point shy of the Knicks’ single-game record (62 points by Carmelo Anthony in Jan. 2014).

Rookies of the Month

San Antonio Spurs forward-center Victor Wembanyama and Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller have been named the NBA Rookies of the Month for March.

Western Conference: Wembanyama earns the monthly honors for the third straight month, making him the first Spur since Tim Duncan to capture the award three months in a row.

Wembanyama appeared in 12 games (all starts) for the Spurs in March, averaging 21.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, a league-leading 3.83 blocks and 1.17 steals in 31.7 minutes to lead all rookies in scoring, rebounding and blocks for the month. He posted eight double-doubles, including a season-high 40 points, 20 rebounds and 7 assists vs. the Knicks on March 29, becoming the first rookie with 40-plus points and 20-plus rebounds since Shaquille O’Neal in 1993.

Eastern Conference: Miller also takes home the monthly honors for the third straight month, becoming the fifth player in franchise history to earn three Rookie of the Month honors, joining LaMelo Ball, Raymond Felton, Larry Johnson and Emeka Okafor.

Miller, the second-overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, averaged 18.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists across 14 games (all starts) in March. He poured in 31 points and a career-high seven 3-pointers in a win vs. Cleveland on March 27, tying the Hornets’ record for 3s in a game by a rookie.

Coaches of the Month

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla have been named the NBA Coaches of the Month for March.

Western Conference: Udoka led the Rockets to a 13-2 mark in March that featured an 11-game win streak. Houston is currently 11th in the Western Conference standings, sitting two games behind Golden State for the final SoFi Play-In Tournament spot.

Eastern Conference: Mazulla led the NBA-leading Celtics to a 12-4 mark in March, the second-best overall record in the league and the best winning percentage in the Eastern Conference (.750). This is the third career Coach of the Month award for Mazulla, which is tied for the second most monthly honors in franchise history alongside Brad Stevens (3) and trailing only Doc Rivers (6).

Past winners

February: 

  • Players: Luka Doncic + Jayson Tatum
  • Rookies: Victor Wembanyama + Brandon Miller
  • Coaches: Steve Kerr + Erik Spoelstra

January:

  • Players: Devin Booker + Donovan Mitchell
  • Rookies: Victor Wembanyama + Brandon Miller
  • Coaches: Tyronn Lue + Tom Thibodeau

December:

  • Players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander + Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • Rookies: Chet Holmgren + Jaime Jaquez Jr.
  • Coaches: Tyronn Lue + Joe Mazzula

October/November:

  • Players: Nikola Jokic + Jayson Tatum
  • Rookies: Chet Holmgren + Jaime Jaquez Jr.
  • Coaches: Chris Finch + Jamahl Mosley

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