Canterbury Rams centre Lachlan Olbrich has been named Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the 2024 National Basketball League (NBL) season.
Olbrich helped the Rams to a league-best 17-3 record during the regular season, before hitting the game-winning bucket to secure Canterbury's spot in the NBL grand final for the second year running.
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The 20-year-old Australian posted regular season averages of 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds 3.1 assists and 1.1 blocks on 58 percent shooting inside the arc and 33 percent outside of it to claim recognition as the NBL's top player.
Olbrich was also selected in the All-Star Five and scooped up the Most Outstanding Forward (Commissioners Cup) and Youth Player of the Year awards.
The defending and regular season champion Rams dominated, with teammates Taylor Britt and Kaia Isaac, and head coach Judd Flavell picking up gongs.
Britt was selected to the All-Star Five and also collected the Most Improved Player award for his stellar season.
Britt compiled averages of 16.3 points, 6.4 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 56 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. Voters found his jump to all-league level, as he played a big part in the Rams' 16-game winning streak, to be the most impressive improvement.
Flavell was selected winner of the Steve McKean Coach of the Year award for directing the Rams to a 17-3 record to claim top seed for the postseason as they look to defend their title.
The three-time NBL championship-winning coach took home his first coach of the year award as the Rams chase back-to-back NBL titles for the first time since Wellington Saints pulled off the feat in 2016-17.
Auckland Tuatara forward Rob Loe joined the Rams duo in the All-Star Five, claiming the honour for the second straight season, and also scooped the defensive player of the year award for the second consecutive year.
He averaged 20.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals per game as the Tuatara finished second in the standings and also claimed the Stan Hill Trophy as the Most Outstanding New Zealand Forward/Centre for a third consecutive year, cementing his place in the annals of league history.
Semifinalist and Franklin Bulls import Luther Muhammad earned All-Star Five selection, as the leagues leading scorer (25.9 points per game) and rounded out his game with five rebounds and four assists on a 54 percent effective field goal percentage on the most effective mid-range game in the league.
He will also have his name etched on the Keith Carr Trophy as the Most Outstanding Guard in the competition.
Bay Hawks guard Isaiah Moore was the final member of the All-Star Five, with his tremendous pace had the Hawks on an equal wins total for a Final 6 placing before bowing out on points percentage.
The league's second-best scorer averaged 25.7 points, 7.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals to impact the game on both ends of the court.
In the Rapid League, Rams guard Kaia Isaac was selected as the inaugural MVP. The league's leading scorer (11.4 points per game) also finished fourth in steals (1.1 steals per game), while shooting 39.5 percent from three also claimed a spot on the Rapid League All-Star Five.
He was joined by the leagues leading assist man in Kazlo Evans Jr (Wellington Saints), Josh Aitcheson (top-10 in points and rebounds for the Otago Nuggets) and inaugural Rapid League champions Nick Davidson and Hayden Jones from the Nelson Giants.
The awards nominees were supplied by NBL head coaches, with each coach able to select players from any team (including their own) to nominate.
The MVP and All-Star Fives (for NBL and Rapid League) list was compliled from the season MVP rankings, which are voted on by coaches after each game, with the top-10 vote-getting guards and forward/centres being listed from which to choose winners.
The Outstanding Guard and Forward/Centre were awarded to the leading vote-getter for MVP, with the Kiwi winners being the New Zealand player that finished highest on the ballot.
All 11 head coaches voted on the finalists and were joined by a panel of media members to supplement the voting process. This year's selection included Justin Nelson, Taylah Johnson, Krystal Leger-Walker, Andrew Mulligan, Casey Frank, all Sky Sport commentators, and freelance basketball writer Mike Lacey.
2024 NBL AWARDS
MVP: Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)
Defensive Player of the Year: Rob Loe (Auckland Tuatara)
Youth Player of the Year: Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)
Most Improved Player: Taylor Britt (Canterbury Rams)
All-Star Five: Rob Loe (Auckland Tuatara), Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams), Luther Muhammad (Luther Bulls), Taylor Britt (Canterbury Rams), Isaiah Moore (Bay Hawks)
Steve McKean Coach of the Year: Judd Flavell (Rams)
Most Outstanding Guard (Keith Carr Trophy): Luther Muhammad (Franklin Bulls)
Most Outstanding NZ Guard (John Macdonald Trophy): Taylor Britt (Canterbury Rams)
Most Outstanding Forward (Commissioners Cup): Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury Rams)
Most Outstanding NZ Forward/Centre (Stan Hill Trophy): Rob Loe (Auckland Tuatara)
Scoring Champion (Alan Bland Memorial Trophy): Luther Muhammad (Franklin Bulls)
Rebounding Champion (Garry Pettis Memorial Trophy): Josh Roberts (Bay Hawks)
Assist Champion (Dave Taylor Trophy): Corey Webster (Auckland Tuatara)
Best Team Free Throws (Nial Forsyth Trophy):Taranaki Airs
RAPID LEAGUE AWARDS
Rapid League MVP - Kaia Isaac (Canterbury Rams)
Rapid League All-Star Five - Kazlo Evans Jr (Wellington Saints), Kaia Isaac (Canterbury Rams), Nick Davidson (Nelson Giants), Hayden Jones (Nelson Giants), Josh Aitcheson (Otago Nuggets)
TEAM AND MEDIA AWARDS
Club of the Year: Canterbury Rams
General Manager of the Year: Jordan Mills (Wellington Saints)
Best Fan Engagement: Auckland Tuatara
Best Social Media: Nelson Giants
Best Game Presentation: Taranaki Airs
Video Content Creator of the Year: Danielle Eagle (Nelson Giants)
Best Media Coverage: Southland Times/Stuff
Journalist of the Year: Adrian Seconi (Otago Daily Times)
Photo of the Year: Richard Connelly (GameFaceNZ) - Taylor Britt fadeaway
Best Digital Team Creative: Wellington Saints - Sharks Game Day/Paddy Martin Design