J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award

The J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1974–75 NBA season, to a player, coach or trainer who shows "outstanding service and dedication to the community". [cite web | title=Pistons G Chauncey Billups wins sportsmanship award |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=3383252| accessdate=2008-07-02 |publisher=ESPN.com] It is the oldest citizenship and community service award in the NBA and is named in honor of James Walter Kennedy, the second commissioner (then president)ref label|Note1|a|a of the NBA, who served from 1963 to 1975.cite web |publisher=NBA.com | title= Snow Named Winner of J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award|url=http://www.nba.com/news/snow_050427.html| date=2007-06-26 | accessdate=2008-07-21] The winner is selected by the Professional Basketball Writers Association (PBWA). The PBWA represents writers for newspapers, magazines and internet services who cover the NBA on a regular basis. Members of the PBWA nominate players for the award, and then a vote is taken by approximately 150 PBWA members. The player with the highest point total wins the award. The award is usually given to a person who made the most charitable contribution to the community. For instance, Kevin Garnett received the award in 2006 for donating $1.2 million toward the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.cite web |publisher=USAToday.com |work=Associated Press | title= Garnett wins Kennedy Citizenship Award|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/twolves/2006-10-31-garnett-kennedy-award_x.htm| date=2006-10-31 | accessdate=2008-07-24]

Since its inception, the award has been given to 35 different players. The Detroit Pistons have had the most winners, with a total of four. Only one season had joint winners—Michael Cooper and Rory Sparrow in the 1985–86 season. Vlade Divac of Yugoslavia, Dikembe Mutombo of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Steve Nash of Canada are the only three winners who were not born in the United States. Frank Layden and Joe O'Toole were the only non-players to win the award. Layden, the 1983–84 award recipient, was the head coach for the Utah Jazz,cite web |publisher=basketball-reference.com | title= Frank Layden Coaching Record|url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/laydefr99c.html | accessdate=2008-07-24] while O'Toole, the 1994–95 award recipient, was the sport trainer for the Atlanta Hawks.cite web |publisher="The Atlanta Journal-Constitution" | title= Smith receives NBA's award for community service|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?s_hidethis=no&p_product=AT&p_theme=at&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=%22J.%20Walter%20Kennedy%20Citizenship%20Award%22,%20%22Joe%20O%27Toole%22&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(%22J.%20Walter%20Kennedy%20Citizenship%20Award%22,%20%22Joe%20O%27Toole%22)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no| date=1998-04-29 | accessdate=2008-07-22]

Winners

Notes

*note label|Note1|a|a The official title of the position was NBA President until 1967 when it was changed to NBA Commissioner. [cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/commissioners.html |title=The Commissioners |accessdate=2008-07-08 |publisher=NBA.com |author=Mike Monroe ]
*note label|Note2|b|b Denotes seasons in which joint winners were named

References

;General
*cite web | title=Chauncey Billups Wins J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award |url=http://www.nba.com/news/billups_citizenship_080505.html | accessdate=2008-07-21 |publisher=NBA.com |date=2008-05-05
*cite web | title=J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award |url=http://www.nba.com/history/awards_citizenship.html | accessdate=2008-07-24 |publisher=NBA.com

;Specific