NBL Awards History
The National Basketball League was one of the major professional
basketball leagues that helped shape the early history of the modern
NBA. The NBL operated under that name from 1937-38 through 1948-49.
Each season, the league recognized a
Most Valuable Player,
Coach of the Year and
Rookie of the Year.
Many of the players and coaches honored by the NBL later became major
figures in NBA history, including George Mikan, Bobby McDermott,
Bob Davies, Red Holzman, Al Cervi and Dolph Schayes.
NBL MVP, Coach of the Year and Rookie of the Year
| Season |
Most Valuable Player |
Coach of the Year |
Rookie of the Year |
| 1937-38 |
Leroy Edwards
Oshkosh All-Stars
|
Lefty Byers
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
|
Robert Kessler
Indianapolis Kautskys
|
| 1938-39 |
Leroy Edwards
Oshkosh All-Stars
|
Paul Sheeks
Akron Firestone Non-Skids
|
Jewell Young
Indianapolis Kautskys
|
| 1939-40 |
Leroy Edwards
Oshkosh All-Stars
|
Paul Sheeks
Akron Firestone Non-Skids
|
Ben Stephens
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
|
| 1940-41 |
Ben Stephens
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
|
George Hotchkiss
Oshkosh All-Stars
|
Ed Sadowski
Detroit Eagles
|
| 1941-42 |
Bobby McDermott
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
|
Lon Darling
Oshkosh All-Stars
|
George Glamack
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
|
| 1942-43 |
Bobby McDermott
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
|
Carl Roth
Sheboygan Red Skins
|
Ken Buehler
Sheboygan Red Skins
|
| 1943-44 |
Bobby McDermott
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
Mel Riebe
Cleveland Chase Brassmen
|
Bobby McDermott
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
|
Mel Riebe
Cleveland Chase Brassmen
|
| 1944-45 |
Bobby McDermott
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
|
Bobby McDermott
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
|
Stan Patrick
Chicago American Gears
|
| 1945-46 |
Bobby McDermott
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
|
Eddie Malanowicz
Rochester Royals
|
Red Holzman
Rochester Royals
|
| 1946-47 |
Bob Davies
Rochester Royals
|
Lon Darling
Oshkosh All-Stars
|
Fred Lewis
Sheboygan Red Skins
|
| 1947-48 |
George Mikan
Minneapolis Lakers
|
Murray Mendenhall
Anderson Duffey Packers
|
Mike Todorovich
Sheboygan Red Skins
|
| 1948-49 |
Don Otten
Tri-Cities Blackhawks
|
Al Cervi
Syracuse Nationals
|
Dolph Schayes
Syracuse Nationals
|
NBL Award Facts
-
Leroy Edwards won the first three NBL Most Valuable
Player awards, from 1937-38 through 1939-40.
-
Bobby McDermott became the dominant individual star
of the league during the 1940s and won multiple MVP awards with the
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons.
-
The 1943-44 MVP award was shared by Bobby McDermott
of Fort Wayne and Mel Riebe of the Cleveland Chase Brassmen.
-
McDermott also served as Fort Wayne's coach, allowing him to win
both MVP and Coach of the Year honors in the same period.
-
George Mikan won the 1947-48 NBL MVP while leading
the Minneapolis Lakers, who also won the NBL championship that season.
-
Dolph Schayes won the final NBL Rookie of the Year
award in 1948-49 with the Syracuse Nationals.
-
Al Cervi won the final NBL Coach of the Year award
with Syracuse in 1948-49.
-
The NBL's final season was 1948-49. The league then merged with the
Basketball Association of America to create the National Basketball
Association.
Corrections to the Older NBAHoopsOnline Table
Several older spellings and abbreviations have been cleaned up,
including George Mikan, Mel Riebe,
Mike Todorovich and the full historical team names.
The older table incorrectly listed Chuck Chuckovits as the 1941-42
MVP. Historical NBL records list Bobby McDermott as
the MVP that season, while Chuckovits was the league's scoring leader.
The old 1945-46 listing of George Mikan as a Minneapolis rookie was
also removed. Historical records list Red Holzman as
Rookie of the Year and Eddie Malanowicz as Coach of
the Year for Rochester.
