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The NBA Comeback Player of the Year Award was an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award presented to a player who recovered from a subpar season after achieving success in the past.[1] It was awarded from 1981 though 1986.[a][3] Along with several other awards, it was created to increase interest in the league,[b] whose championship series in 1980 was televised live in the markets of the participants, the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers, but shown on tape delay in the rest of the United States, typically after the late-night news.[6] The Comeback Player of the Year was selected from a panel of 78 media members, three from each NBA city and another nine national media members.[7] Three of the six winners were returning from drug or alcohol dependency issues: inaugural winner Bernard King in 1980–81 and the final two winners, Micheal Ray Richardson (1984–85) and Marques Johnson (1985–86).[3][8][9] Two winners missed time the season prior due to a holdout: Gus Williams (1981–82) and Paul Westphal (1982–83).[10] Westphal was also coming back from an injury, as was 1983–84 winner Adrian Dantley.[11]
In the middle of the 1986–87 season, the NBA announced the end of the Comeback Player of the Year Award. According to league spokesman Russ Granik: "We phased it out because it became very difficult to determine with any kind of clarity exactly what the requirements were".[12] Drugs were reportedly a reason for the award's cancellation.[8][9][13] In addition to previous winners, candidates for the award that season included Walter Davis and John Lucas II, who had also returned from drugs.[8][14] In two years, Lewis Lloyd and Mitchell Wiggins might also have been eligible for the award after having been banned for failed drug tests.[15] Under the NBA drug program at the time, a player who tested positive for drugs three times was automatically banned from the league, and was eligible to apply for reinstatement in two years.[16] Richardson could also have possibly qualified again that year,[14] having been banned following a positive test in 1986 after winning the award the previous year.[17] In the comeback award's final season in 1985–86, the league also launched the NBA Most Improved Player Award.[3] The criteria for selecting the most improved player award was initially open-ended, but the NBA clarified in later years that it was intended for an up-and-coming player who improved dramatically and not a player who made a comeback.[18][19]
- ^ a b Wright, Bart (January 10, 1982). "Did Sam add bizarre twist to an NBA image?". The Tacoma News Tribune. p. B-2. Retrieved April 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Sachare, Alex (April 5, 1980). "Jabbar Should Be Named Basketball MVP". the Burlington Free Press. The Associated Press. pp. 6B, 7B. Retrieved April 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
There's no official Comeback Player of the Year award, but if there was, this vote would go to Tiny Archibald of Boston.
- ^ a b c d Stein, Marc (November 18, 2002). "Here's one vote for comeback player award". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 11, 2002.
Bernard King won the maiden award in Golden State in 1980-81, with New Jersey's Micheal Ray Richardson (1984-85) and the Clippers' Marques Johnson (1985-86) winning the last two before the league office mandated a switch to the Most Improved Award for image reasons.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
ap_05291981was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "NBA & ABA Comeback Player of the Year Award Winners". Basketball Reference. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ a b Shoulder, Ken (2003). Total Basketball: The Ultimate Basketball Encyclopedia. Sports Media Publishing. pp. 520–521. ISBN 1894963016. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
eveningpress_05141985was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c Newman, Mark (February 8, 1987). "Skill is an ageless quality for some players". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 6B. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Kahn, Mike (February 8, 1987). "'Nique gets well: Beating Celts will do that for a guy". The News Tribune. p. C-7. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
hemphill_05171984was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Come back when you have a less embarrassing award". The Courier-Journal. February 15, 1987. p. C-13. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Denberg, Jeff (February 8, 1987). "Comeback award won't come back". The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. p. 17B. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Dr. J game-winner didn't come to pass". Minneapolis Star and Tribune. February 15, 1987. p. 12C. Retrieved April 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Price, S. L. (February 8, 1987). "Warriors Carroll, Floyd can finally be called All-Stars". The Sacramento Bee. p. C9. Retrieved April 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The New Jordan? He's In Charlotte And Likes Duke". Durham Morning Herald. February 15, 1987. p. 2B. Retrieved April 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "NBA LIFTS DRUG BAN FROM RICHARDSON". The Washington Post. July 22, 1988. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- ^ McManis, Sam (February 28, 1986). "THE TROUBLING CAREER OF MICHEAL RAY RICHARDSON". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- ^ Stein, Marc (April 9, 2019). "This Is Who Should Win the 2018-19 N.B.A. Awards". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ Mahoney, Rob (January 28, 2014). "The Fundamentals: The many layers and many candidates for Most Improved Player". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
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