The PBWA

It took a while to get him the hardware, but congrats again, Kevin Durant, winner of the PBWA's 2024-25 Magic Johnson Award. (Presented on Thursday by PBWA president @howardbeck.bsky.social.)

The moment is not too big for Jalen Williams, who has taken over these NBA Finals

🧵 Writing contest winners: Game Coverage
1st, @thompsonscribe.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

2nd @loganmmurdock.bsky.social, www.theringer.com/2025/06/17/n...

3rd @jonkrawczynski.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/624...

'He's got it': An oral history of the NBA's COVID-19 shutdown -- and how it changed sports forever On the fifth anniversary of the night the NBA shut down, ESPN reveals how it happened, down to the minute -- told by the players, executives, politicians, doctors and journalists who were there.

🧵 Writing contest winners: News & Analysis
1st @baxterholmes.bsky.social & @bannedmacmahon.bsky.social, www.espn.com/nba/story/_/...

2nd @jwquick.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/616...

3rd @gxjones.bsky.social, www.libertyballers.com/2024/10/15/2...

The New York Knicks, after 25 long, humbling and frustrating seasons, are back New York basketball is back, relevant and thriving, and this just might be the beginning of what's to come.

🧵 Writing contest winners: Columns
1st @jledwardsiii.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/636...

2nd @gxjones.bsky.social, www.libertyballers.com/2025/6/12/24...

3rd @michaelgrangenba.bsky.social, www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/...

The Genius of Jokic To appreciate the Denver Nuggets’ generational star, you have to appreciate what truly separates him: his brain. “He’s probably the smartest player that’s ever played,” says Christian Braun.

🧵 Writing contest winners: Magazine-Length Features
1st @michaelvpina.bsky.social, www.theringer.com/2025/04/24/n...

2nd Adam Himmelsbach, www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/26/s...

3rd Dave McMenamin, www.espn.com/nba/story/_/...

The Seeker: As a Rookie, Victor Wembanyama Took Over the NBA. His Journey Is Just Beginning. Ahead of the 2024–25 season, all eyes are on the Spurs phenom who is on a quest to hone his mind to match his (remarkably impressive) physical gifts.

🧵 Writing contest winners: Moderate-Length Features
1st @sichrismannix.bsky.social, www.si.com/nba/2024-25-...

2nd Adam Himmelsbach, www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/05/s...

3rd @jonkrawczynski.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/580...

🧵 The PBWA is pleased to announce the results of the 2025 Blumenthal Memorial Writing Contest. Congrats to 1st-place winners @sichrismannix.bsky.social, @michaelvpina.bsky.social, @thompsonscribe.bsky.social, @jledwardsiii.bsky.social, @baxterholmes.bsky.social, @bannedmacmahon.bsky.social.

The moment is not too big for Jalen Williams, who has taken over these NBA Finals

🧵 Writing contest winners: Game Coverage
1st, @thompsonscribe.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

2nd @loganmmurdock.bsky.social, www.theringer.com/2025/06/17/n...

3rd @jonkrawczynski.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/624...

'He's got it': An oral history of the NBA's COVID-19 shutdown -- and how it changed sports forever On the fifth anniversary of the night the NBA shut down, ESPN reveals how it happened, down to the minute -- told by the players, executives, politicians, doctors and journalists who were there.

🧵 Writing contest winners: News & Analysis
1st @baxterholmes.bsky.social & @bannedmacmahon.bsky.social, www.espn.com/nba/story/_/...

2nd @jwquick.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/616...

3rd @gxjones.bsky.social, www.libertyballers.com/2024/10/15/2...

The New York Knicks, after 25 long, humbling and frustrating seasons, are back New York basketball is back, relevant and thriving, and this just might be the beginning of what's to come.

🧵 Writing contest winners: Columns
1st @jledwardsiii.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/636...

2nd @gxjones.bsky.social, www.libertyballers.com/2025/6/12/24...

3rd @michaelgrangenba.bsky.social, www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/...

The Genius of Jokic To appreciate the Denver Nuggets’ generational star, you have to appreciate what truly separates him: his brain. “He’s probably the smartest player that’s ever played,” says Christian Braun.

🧵 Writing contest winners: Magazine-Length Features
1st @michaelvpina.bsky.social, www.theringer.com/2025/04/24/n...

2nd Adam Himmelsbach, www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/26/s...

3rd Dave McMenamin, www.espn.com/nba/story/_/...

The Seeker: As a Rookie, Victor Wembanyama Took Over the NBA. His Journey Is Just Beginning. Ahead of the 2024–25 season, all eyes are on the Spurs phenom who is on a quest to hone his mind to match his (remarkably impressive) physical gifts.

🧵 Writing contest winners: Moderate-Length Features
1st @sichrismannix.bsky.social, www.si.com/nba/2024-25-...

2nd Adam Himmelsbach, www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/05/s...

3rd @jonkrawczynski.bsky.social, www.nytimes.com/athletic/580...

🧵 The PBWA is pleased to announce the results of the 2025 Blumenthal Memorial Writing Contest. Congrats to 1st-place winners @sichrismannix.bsky.social, @michaelvpina.bsky.social, @thompsonscribe.bsky.social, @jledwardsiii.bsky.social, @baxterholmes.bsky.social, @bannedmacmahon.bsky.social.

The man himself endorses the PBWA's choice for the Magic Johnson Award.

The PBWA is pleased to announce that Kevin Durant has won the Magic Johnson Award for the 2024-25 season.

Press release: probasketballwriters.org/kevin-durant...

Full press release on Kevin Durant winning the Magic Johnson Award:

The PBWA is pleased to announce that Kevin Durant has won the Magic Johnson Award for the 2024-25 season.

Press release: probasketballwriters.org/kevin-durant...

This afternoon, PBWA member Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer presented Kenny Atkinson with the Rudy Tomjanovich Award, on behalf of @prohoopswriters.bsky.social. (Photo via @joevardon.bsky.social)

Full press release on Kenny Atkinson winning the 2024-25 Rudy Tomjanovich Award:

The PBWA is pleased to announce that Kenny Atkinson has won the Rudy Tomjanovich Award for the 2024-25 season.

Press release: probasketballwriters.org/cavaliers-he...

Full press release on Kenny Atkinson winning the 2024-25 Rudy Tomjanovich Award:

The PBWA is pleased to announce that Kenny Atkinson has won the Rudy Tomjanovich Award for the 2024-25 season.

Press release: probasketballwriters.org/cavaliers-he...

Full press release:

The PBWA is pleased to announce that the Golden State Warriors have won the Brian McIntyre Media Relations Award for the 2024-25 season.

Press release: probasketballwriters.org/category/bri...

Always well deserved from a terrific group.

My anecdote on why the Warriors’ crew is consistently among the best: At shootaround during this season’s visit to Philly, they coordinated at least five reporters’ separate 1-on-1 interviews with players, including Steph and Draymond. That simply does not happen around most of the league.

Full press release:

The PBWA is pleased to announce that the Golden State Warriors have won the Brian McIntyre Media Relations Award for the 2024-25 season.

Press release: probasketballwriters.org/category/bri...

Full press release for All-Interview Team:

The PBWA is pleased to announce the inaugural NBA All-Interview Team.

Press release: probasketballwriters.org/pbwa-relaunc...