Champion: Hawke's Bay Hawks
Finalist: Auckland Stars

  2006 NBL AWARDS ANNOUNCED 
Outstanding Guard (Keith Carr Trophy) & Outstanding Kiwi Guard (John Macdonald Trophy) & Most Valuable Player
Paora Winitana (190-G-76)  (Easy LPG Bay Hawks)
With Tall Black point guard Paul Henare taking up a contract in Turkey, Winitana undertook the Hawks captaincy, and simply led by example and with passion. The newly ordained bishop carried the Hawks to a 14-4 regular season record, averaging 15.6 points (49.5% FG, 70.4% FT, 39.3% 3pt), 4.3 rebounds, a career-high 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals. While none of the Hawks dominated statistically, they thrived on team performance with Winitana as the glue that held them together.

Outstanding Forward (Commissioner's Cup) & Outstanding Kiwi Forward (Stan Hill Trophy) & Kiwi MVP
Casey Frank (205-F-77, college: N.Arizona) (GI Juice Auckland Stars)
Like Winitana, Frank was required to step up in the absence of another leading performer, namely reigning 2005 MVP Lindsay Tait (193-G-82). After winning a share of the Outstanding Forward title last year, Frank gained NZ citizenship and became eligible for the Kiwi awards as well. Over the final month of the regular season, he became the focal point of the Stars' bid for a championship three-peat and responded with 16.1 points (53.5% FG, 77.3% FT, 30.6% 3pt), 8.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 steals and 2.0 blocks. He led the league in blocks and his FT%, assist, steal and block stats were all career highs.

Coach of the Year
Nenad Vucinic (NBS Nelson Giants)
This has been a record-breaking year for the Tall Black assistant coach, who became the most successful coach in NBL history. His 148 wins surpasses the previous record held by national team colleague Tab Baldwin, but at 42, Vucinic is poised to take that mark well beyond anyone's reach for a long time. He guided Nelson to a 14-4 record, losing second spot on the table only on a countback ... and his fifth Coach of the Year title further extends his lead over Baldwin (three) in this department.

Rookie of the Year
Shaun Tilby (185-G-81) (Otago Nuggets)
On a team that finished at the foot of the NBL table, Tilby have plenty of opportunities to excel and produced several noteworthy performances to make the Nuggets competitive. He averaged 8.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals, and scored in double figures five times, including 19 points and seven assists in a 3OT loss to Inspire Net Manawatu Jets.

All-Star Five
Casey Frank (205-F-77, college: N.Arizona) (GI Juice Auckland Stars)
Nick Horvath (208-F-81, college: Duke) (St Laurence Wellington Saints)
Called in to replace Anthony "Go Get It" Jones, Horvath sure got it done for Saints, giving them a dominating inside presence that had been sorely lacking previously. He averaged 19.7 points (53.6% FG, 62.0% FT), 9.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, and produced the season's only "20-20" with 21 points/20 rebounds against Waikato Pistons.
Josh Pace (198-G/F-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Syracuse) (NBS Nelson Giants)
A former team-mate of NBA star Carmelo Anthony with the NCAA champion University of Syracuse, Pace got better as the season progressed and flaunted with a triple double on several occasions, highlighted by his 24 points/10 assists/eight rebounds against Inspire Net Manawatu Jets. He averaged 19.1 points (51.4% FG, 66.7% FT, 25.0% 3pt), 6.6 rebounds,3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
Lindsay Tait (193-G-82) (GI Juice Auckland Stars)
Before being sidelined with a broken wrist, Tait seemed headed towards another MVP year, averaging 21.6 points (51.8% FG, 80.2% FT, 40.3% 3pt), 3.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals. He was the leading Kiwi scorer in the league, was one of only two players averaging 50% FG/80% FT/40% 3pt and was enjoying a career-best season in scoring and rebounds.
Paora Winitana (190-G-76)  (Easy LPG Bay Hawks)

Referee of the Year Alan Godden
Media Award Paul Wilson (Napier Mail)
Administrator of the Year Jeremy Bayliss (Easy LPG Bay Hawks)
Regular Season Awards Champions GI Juice Auckland Stars 16 wins/2 losses
Best Team Free Throws GI Juice Auckland Stars 74.2%
Leading Scorer (Alan Bland Memorial Trophy) Dennis Trammell (192-G-82, college: Ball St.) (Scenic Circle Canterbury Rams) 25.6 points
Leading Rebounder (Garry Pettit Memorial Trophy) Miles Pearce (207-C/F-78) (Otago Nuggets) 11.9 rebounds
Leading Assists (Dave Taylor Trophy) Brad Davidson (182-G-74) (Inspire Net Manawatu Jets) 4.8 assists
(Courtesy of kiwihoops)