Brand finishes fourth in NBA sportsman award voting
DEERFIELD, Ill. - Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng won the NBA's sportsmanship award yesterday, beating out former Peekskill star Elton Brand and four other divisional winners in a vote by players.
Deng received 52 first-place votes and 2,027 points, 22 more than Rockets forward Shane Battier. Jazz guard Derek Fisher (1,953) was third, followed by Clippers forward Elton Brand (1,935), Hawks guard Joe Johnson (1,737) and Raptors guard Anthony Parker (1,611).
The award honors the player who best exemplifies ethical behavior, fair play and integrity on the court, and the winner receives the Joe Dumars Trophy - named after the Detroit Pistons' Hall of Fame guard, their president of basketball operations and the inaugural recipient.
Elton Brand won the award last year.
The league will donate $25,000 on Deng's behalf to Pacific Garden Mission, the oldest continuously operating rescue mission in the country. It will also donate $10,000 to each of the divisional winners' chosen charities - Toronto Raptors Foundation on Parker's behalf; the Boys and Girls Club of Little Rock, Ark., on Johnson's behalf; the Boys and Girls Club of Houston on Battier's behalf; Fisher Fellows of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock on Fisher's behalf; and C.A.M.P. Inc. of Peekskill on behalf of Elton Brand.
Elton Brand donated the $25,000 prize to C.A.M.P. Inc. last year, as well. The facility on Bank Street in Peekskill serves 150 middle and high school students.
"Elton never turns his back on us," said executive director Lou Panzanaro, who didn't know another $10,000 check was in the mail until yesterday afternoon. "We help the kids with their academics, but we also maximize their other talents whether it be art or music or whatever."
Elton Brand founded the center three years ago with a $250,000 donation, according to Panzanaro. He's been matching a $167,000 state grant every year since, while also providing supplemental funds.
"When he wins something like this or auctions something off, we benefit," Panzanaro said. "We're not getting any grant money from the state next year, so we can certainly use $10,000."
In his third year, Deng enjoyed his best season, averaging 18.8 points and 7.1 rebounds, and was even better in helping the Bulls sweep defending champion Miami in the first round of the playoffs. Deng averaged 26.3 points and 9.0 rebounds against the Heat.
The Bulls face Detroit in the second round beginning with Game 1 tomorrow.
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