February NBA Awards: Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley take home top honors

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers have been crowned the Kia NBA Players of the Month for their outstanding performances in February.

Players of the Month

Western Conference: James led the Lakers to a 10-2 record while averaging 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists. After turning 40 years old in December, James becomes the oldest player to ever win a Player of the Month award, passing the previous record set by Karl Malone (age 37) with the Utah Jazz in November of 2000.

Eastern Conference: Mitchell led the Cavaliers to an NBA-best 10-1 record and averaged a team-high 25.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He also scored at least 20 points in eight of his 10 appearances, including four games of 30 points or more and a season-high 41 points during Cleveland’s come-from-behind win at Boston on Feb. 28 when they rallied back from a 22-point deficit.

Rookies of the Month

Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier and Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher have been named the Kia NBA Rookies of the Month for games played in February.

Western Conference: Collier averaged 11.5 points, 9.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds during the month. His 9.5 assists per game led all rookies and ranked fourth among all NBA players in February. He led all rookies in point-assist double-doubles with six, which was also tied for third-most in the NBA.

Eastern Conference: Risacher averaged 12.8 points, the second-most points per game amongst Eastern Conference rookies and third-most amongst all rookies, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He netted 10+ points in 10 of his 12 games, the most by an Eastern Conference rookie during the month and tied for the most by any rookie. Among all first-year players in February, Risacher ranked second in total points (153), third in total made field goals (55) and second in total made 3-pointers (22).

Defensive Players of the Month

Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara and Cleveland Cavaliers forward-center Evan Mobley have been named the Kia NBA Defensive Players of the Month for games played in February.

Western Conference: Camara was the only player in the NBA to record 80+ rebounds, 20+ steals and 10+ blocks in February. The NBA’s season-long leader in charges taken with 25, Camara took four charges in February — tied for most in the league. His 24 total steals (2.0 spg) during the month were also tied for the fifth most in the NBA. During the season, Camara has recorded at least one steal in 50 games — tied for second most of any player in the NBA.

Eastern Conference: In the inaugural season of this monthly award, Mobley becomes the first player to receive this honor twice for the Eastern Conference. He also won Defensive Player of the Month for December 2024. Mobley’s 25 blocks were tied for the most in the conference. Additionally, he recorded seven multi-block games (tied for second in the East), five games with three blocks or more (most in the East), and three outings with at least four blocks (tied for most in the NBA).

Coaches of the Month

Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault and Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff have been named the NBA Coaches of the Month for games played in February.

Western Conference: Daigneault receives his second career Coach of the Month award after leading the Thunder to an 11-2 record during the month of February. The 2023-24 NBA Coach of the Year led the Thunder to its fourth-straight month with double-digit wins while posting 127.7 points per game, a 15.2 net rating and a 124.8 offensive rating, all ranking best in the Western Conference.

Eastern Conference: Bickerstaff, in his first year at the helm with the Pistons, led the team to a 9-3 record for the month including going 4-0 on the road.  Detroit went on an eight-game win streak to mark its longest such streak since the 2007-08 season and averaged 123.7 points per game while shooting 49.8% from the field and 37% from 3-point range.  Six of the Pistons’ nine wins were by double digits including four by 15-plus points.