NEW YORK, April 26, 2007 – Monta Ellis of the Golden State Warriors was named the winner of the 2006-07 NBA Most Improved Player Award, the NBA announced today. The annual award is presented to a player who has made a dramatic improvement from the previous season or seasons.

Ellis received a total of 352 points, including 47 first-place votes, from a panel of 129 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The Sacramento Kings’ Kevin Martin finished second with 349 points (44 first-place votes) followed by the Utah Jazz’s Deron Williams with 101 points (13 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. This is the closest finish in the history of the award since 1990-91 when Scott Skiles of Orlando edged out Kevin Gamble of Boston by four votes

After averaging 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists and .415 shooting for the Warriors in 2005-06, Ellis increased his scoring by 9.7 points (16.5 ppg) – the largest increase in the NBA this season -- to go along with his averages of 3.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.71 steals. Starting 53 of the 77 games he appeared in, Ellis reached double figures in scoring 68 times, including 24 games of 20 or more points. The 6-3 guard recorded three or more steals 20 times and had at least five steals three times, including a career-high six at Seattle (March 17).

Selected by the Warriors in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft (40th overall), Ellis was second only to Chris Paul (17.2 ppg) of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets in scoring among players from that Draft class. Ellis also noticed a significant increase in his assist numbers as he dished five or more assists 33 times, including a career-high 13 at the Los Angeles Clippers (Feb. 24).

Attached are the voting results for this year’s NBA Most Improved Player Award and the all-time list of winners.


2006-07 NBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER AWARD VOTING RESULTS
Player, Team
1st
2nd
3rd
Pts
Monta Ellis, Golden State
47
34
15
352
Kevin Martin, Sacramento
44
38
15
349
Deron Williams, Utah
13
6
18
101
Tyson Chandler, NOK
6
9
72
Andris Biedrins, Golden State
8
4
12
64
Al Jefferson, Boston
2
13
13
62
Luol Deng, Chicago
2
7
13
44
Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix
3
3
--
24
Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia
1
2
3
14
David Lee, New York
--
3
3
12
Jason Kapono, Miami
--
1
7
10
Josh Howard, Dallas
1
1
1
9
Mikki Moore, New Jersey
-
2
3
9
Carlos Boozer, Utah
1
-
3
8
Jose Calderon, Toronto
-
2
--
6
Amaré Stoudemire, Phoenix
1
--
--
5
Matt Carroll, Charlotte
--
--
3
3
Bostjan Nachbar, New Jersey
--
1
--
3
Eddy Curry, New York
--
1
--
3
Caron Butler, Washington
--
--
2
2
Josh Smith, Atlanta
--
--
1
1
Gerald Wallace, Charlotte
--
--
1
1
Ben Gordon, Chicago
--
--
1
1
Sasha Pavlovic, Cleveland
--
--
1
1
Nene, Denver
--
--
1
1
Andrew Bynum, L.A. Lakers
--
--
1
1
Luke Walton, L.A. Lakers
--
--
1
1
Dwight Howard, Orlando
--
--
1
1
Chris Wilcox, Seattle
--
--
1
1

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
1994-95 Dana Barros, Philadelphia
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