NBA AWARDS - DANNY GRANGER WINS NBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER AWARD

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

In his fourth year, Granger was the league’s fifth leading scorer, averaging a career-high 25.8 points – 6.2 points higher than 2007-08 (19.6 ppg) and 9.4 points above his career average (16.4 ppg) – and becoming the first player in NBA history to raise his scoring average by at least five points in three consecutive seasons.

GRANGER MOST IMPROVED

NEW YORK, NY USA

Monday May 25, 2009

Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers is the winner of the 2008-09 NBA Most Improved Player Award. The annual award is presented to a player who has made a significant improvement from the previous season.

Granger received 364 of a possible 605 points, including 48 first-place votes, from a panel of 121 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The New Jersey Nets’ Devin Harris finished second with 339 points (43 first-place votes), followed by Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder with 83 points (six first-place votes). 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.

As part of its support of the Most Improved Player Award, Kia Motors America will donate either a new Borrego SUV or Sedona minivan on behalf of Granger to The Shepherd Community Center in Indianapolis. Kia Motors is presenting a brand new vehicle to the charity of choice of each of four 2008-09 season-end award winners as part of the “The NBA Performance Awards Presented by Kia Motors.”

In his fourth year, Granger was the league’s fifth leading scorer, averaging a career-high 25.8 points – 6.2 points higher than 2007-08 (19.6 ppg) and 9.4 points above his career average (16.4 ppg) – and becoming the first player in NBA history to raise his scoring average by at least five points in three consecutive seasons. Granger also averaged 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. The 6-9 forward led the Pacers in scoring in 49 of the 67 games he played, including 13 of their final 14 games. In his last 14 games, Granger shot 43-of-96 (.448) from three-point range and his 182 three-pointers made this season rank third all time in Pacer’s history.

2008-09 NBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD VOTING RESULTS

ALL-TIME NBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER AWARD WINNERS

1985-86 Alvin Robertson, San Antonio

1986-87 Dale Ellis, Seattle

1987-88 Kevin Duckworth, Portland

1988-89 Kevin Johnson, Phoenix

1989-90 Rony Seikaly, Miami

1990-91 Scott Skiles, Orlando

1991-92 Pervis Ellison, Washington

1992-93 Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Denver

1993-94 Don MacLean, Washington

1994-95 Dana Barros, Philadelphia

1995-96 Gheorghe Muresan, Washington

1996-97 Isaac Austin, Miami

1997-98 Alan Henderson, Atlanta

1998-99 Darrell Armstrong, Orlando

1999-00 Jalen Rose, Indiana

2000-01 Tracy McGrady, Orlando

2001-02 Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana

2002-03 Gilbert Arenas, Golden State

2003-04 Zach Randolph, Portland

2004-05 Bobby Simmons, L.A. Clippers

2005-06 Boris Diaw, Phoenix

2006-07 Monta Ellis, Golden State

2007-08 Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando

2008-09 Danny Granger, Indiana

NBA